Singulair Side Effects

Common Singulair side effects in adults include headaches, stomach pain, and cough. In children, fever, sore throat, and diarrhea have been reported. Fortunately, most people tolerate the drug without problems. However, some side effects of Singulair should be reported to your healthcare provider right away, such as signs of an allergic reaction or signs of liver failure.

 

An Introduction to Singulair Side Effects

As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Singulair® (montelukast sodium); however, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can be easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
 
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Singulair. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Singulair side effects with you.)
 

Common Side Effects of Singulair in Adults

Singulair has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, in which a group of people taking the drug have side effects documented and compared to another group not taking the medicine.
 This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
 
In these studies, the most common side effects of Singulair in adults included:
 
  • Headaches -- in up to 18.4 percent of people
  • The flu -- up to 4.2 percent
  • Abdominal pain (stomach pain) -- up to 2.9 percent
  • Cough -- up to 2.7 percent
  • Indigestion or heartburn -- up to 2.1 percent.
     
Other common Singulair side effects (occurring in 1 to 2 percent of people) included:
 
  • Weakness or fatigue
  • Fever
  • Trauma (accidental injury)
  • Gastrointestinal infections
  • Tooth pain
  • Dizziness
  • Nasal congestion
  • Rash.
     
(Singulair Side Effects Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;