Allergy Update
by P.K. Raghuprasad, M.D.

Leukotriene Inhibitors

This complicated term belongs to a class of very useful asthma medications.   Currently there are two drugs available Accolate-zafirlukast and singulair montelukast.  Both are tablets.   The former is given twice a day and the latter, once a day.  Both block a group of chemicals that promote inflammation, called the leukotrienes (slow reacting substance of anaphytaxis).  Therefore, they address the central problem in asthma, the inflammation.  The leukotrienes blockers, by inhibiting the inflammation, reduce asthma.  Both the frequency of attacks and the severity are improved.  By their very nature, they have to be used regularly or they will not help in an acute attack.