Zileuton
About Zileuton
Zileuton is a medicine prescribed for the long-term control and prevention of asthma symptoms in adults and children aged 12 years and older. It helps manage chronic asthma by preventing breathing difficulties, chest tightness, and wheezing. Please note that this medication is not a rescue treatment and will not stop an asthma attack once it has already started.
To get the best results, you must take Zileuton regularly every day, exactly as your doctor directs, even when you feel completely fine. You can take this tablet with or without food, but keeping a consistent routine helps maintain steady levels of the medicine in your body. Avoiding known asthma triggers like dust, smoke, and pollen alongside taking your medicine can significantly improve your daily breathing.
While taking Zileuton, you might experience mild side effects like headaches, mild stomach upset, or muscle pain. However, you must contact your doctor immediately if you notice signs of liver damage, such as yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark urine, or severe pain in your upper stomach. It is also crucial to seek medical help if you experience unusual changes in your mood, sleep, or behaviour.
Do not take this if you have active liver disease or if your routine blood tests show elevated liver enzymes. Before starting Zileuton, always tell your doctor if you have a history of liver problems, consume alcohol regularly, or have ever experienced depression or other mental health conditions. Your doctor will perform blood tests to check your liver function before and during your treatment.
This medicine can interact with other drugs, particularly certain blood thinners, asthma controllers, or blood pressure medications, which may increase the risk of side effects. Smoking can also affect how your body processes this medication, making it less effective. If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, breastfeeding, or are an elderly individual, talk to your doctor or pharmacist to discuss if this treatment is safe for you.
Uses of Zileuton
Medicinal Benefits
Using Zileuton as prescribed helps control asthma symptoms and improve breathing. Here are the key benefits you can expect:
- Reduces daily asthma symptoms: Helps relieve coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
- Improves nighttime symptom control: Helps prevent asthma symptoms that can interrupt sleep.
- Reduces the need for rescue inhalers: Regular use helps improve asthma control, reducing reliance on quick-relief inhalers.
Directions for Use
- Take Zileuton with or without food as advised by your doctor.
- It is advised to take Zileuton four times daily; however, follow your doctor’s advice regarding the dosage and duration.
- Swallow the medicine as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not break, chew or crush Zileuton.
Storage
Side Effects of Zileuton
Common Side Effects (Usually mild):
- Headache
- Mild stomach pain or upset stomach
- Nausea or heartburn
- Muscle aches or generalised pain
- Runny or stuffy nose
Serious Side Effects (Consult your doctor right away):
- Signs of liver damage, such as yellowing of your skin or eyes, dark-colored urine, light-colored stools, or severe pain in the upper right side of your stomach
- Unusual changes in behavior or mood, including severe anxiety, depression, sleepwalking, vivid dreams, or thoughts of hurting yourself
- Signs of a severe allergic reaction, including hives, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, and severe dizziness or trouble breathing
Drug Warnings
- Not a rescue treatment: Zileuton will not stop an active asthma attack. Always keep your quick-relief rescue inhaler with you for sudden breathing emergencies.
- Watch your mood: If you, your family members, or your caregivers notice any unusual changes in your behaviour, mood, or sleep patterns, contact your doctor immediately.
- Attend liver function tests: Do not miss your scheduled liver function blood tests, as they help detect early signs of liver irritation.
- Check your skin and eyes: Regularly look for yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), which may be a warning sign of liver problems.
Drug Interactions
- Theophylline: Zileuton may increase the levels of theophylline in the body, increasing the risk of side effects such as nausea or an irregular heartbeat.
- Warfarin: Zileuton may increase the effects of warfarin, raising the risk of bleeding. Your doctor may adjust your dose and monitor your blood clotting more closely.
- Propranolol: Zileuton may increase the levels of propranolol in the body, which may cause your heart rate or blood pressure to become too low.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionAvoid excessive or chronic alcohol consumption while taking Zileuton.
Pregnancy
consult your doctorPlease consult a doctor if you are pregnant. Zileuton is given to pregnant women only if the doctor thinks the benefits of this medicine are greater than the risks to the unborn baby.
Breast Feeding
consult your doctorIt is unknown whether Zileuton is excreted in human milk. Hence, if you are a nursing mother, inform your doctor before taking Zileuton so that your doctor will decide if you should take Zileuton or breastfeed, as doing both is not recommended.
Driving
consult your doctorIt is unknown if Zileuton affects your ability to drive. Hence, drive only if you are alert after taking Zileuton.
Liver
unsafeZileuton is not recommended if you have active liver disease as it may worsen the condition. Therefore, inform your doctor if you have any liver problems before taking Zileuton.
Kidney
consult your doctorIf you have kidney disease/condition, inform your doctor before taking Zileuton.
Children
unsafeZileuton is not recommended for children below 12 years. It is advised for children of 12 years of age and above.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Avoid alcohol: Limit or avoid alcohol, as it may increase the risk of liver problems while taking Zileuton.
- Avoid asthma triggers: Identify and minimise exposure to triggers such as tobacco smoke, dust mites, pet dander, and cold air.
- Attend regular blood tests: Have your liver function checked regularly as advised by your doctor.
- Use NSAIDs with caution: If you have aspirin-sensitive asthma, speak to your doctor before taking pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Asthma: It is a chronic (long-term) respiratory condition in which airways narrow, swell, and produce extra mucus, leading to difficulty in breathing. The symptoms of asthma include wheezing (whistling sound while breathing), shortness of breath, chest tightness, and cough, especially at night. The symptoms of mild persistent asthma may occur more than two times a week and up to four nights in a month, whereas, in the case of severe persistent asthma, the symptoms occur several times every day and most nights. The treatment for asthma includes medication, breathing exercises, and self-care.
FAQs
Zileuton is used for the long-term prevention and management of asthma. It helps reduce asthma symptoms and prevent asthma attacks when taken regularly. It is not intended to treat sudden asthma attacks.
Zileuton contains Zileuton, which works by blocking the production of leukotrienes (chemicals released by the body responsible for asthma). Thus, it prevents shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing due to asthma.
You are not recommended to stop taking Zileuton without consulting your doctor as it may worsen the condition or cause recurring symptoms. Therefore, take Zileuton for as long as your doctor has prescribed it, and if you experience any difficulty while taking Zileuton, please consult your doctor.
No. Zileuton is not a rescue medicine and will not work quickly enough to stop a sudden asthma attack. It is used for the long-term prevention and management of asthma. If you have a sudden asthma attack, use your quick-relief (rescue) inhaler as prescribed and seek medical attention if your symptoms do not improve. Continue taking Zileuton exactly as prescribed, and talk to your doctor about your asthma action plan.
Yes, you will need regular blood tests to check your liver health. Your doctor will typically check your liver enzymes before you start taking Zileuton and then periodically throughout your treatment to ensure your safety. Talk to your doctor if you miss a scheduled test.
It is highly recommended to avoid or strictly limit alcohol while taking this medicine. Both alcohol and Zileuton are processed by your liver, and combining them significantly increases your risk of liver damage. Talk to your doctor about your alcohol intake.
If you experience unusual dreams, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, depression, or other mood changes, contact your doctor immediately. These can be serious side effects of the medication, and your doctor will help determine if you should switch to an alternative treatment. Talk to your doctor to stay safe.
The safety of this medicine during pregnancy or breastfeeding is not fully established. You should only take it if your doctor determines that the therapeutic benefits clearly outweigh the risks to your baby. Talk to your doctor to discuss safer alternatives.
It depends on your health history. If you have aspirin-sensitive asthma, you must avoid aspirin and NSAIDs (like ibuprofen or naproxen), as they can cause severe asthma flare-ups. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to find safe pain relief options.
Yes, do not stop or change any of your other asthma medications unless your doctor explicitly tells you to do so. Zileuton is designed to work alongside your other prescribed asthma treatments to keep your lungs healthy. Talk to your doctor before adjusting any part of your treatment plan.
