Montelukast Aurovitas

Package Leaflet: Information for the User

Montelukast Aurovitas, 5 mg, Chewable Tablets

Montelukast

Read the package leaflet carefully before taking the medicine, as it contains important information for the patient.

• Keep this leaflet, you may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
• If you experience any side effects, including those not listed in this leaflet, tell your doctor or pharmacist. See section 4.

Table of Contents of the Leaflet:

• 1. What is Montelukast Aurovitas and what is it used for
• 2. Important information before taking Montelukast Aurovitas
• 3. How to take Montelukast Aurovitas
• 4. Possible side effects
• 5. How to store Montelukast Aurovitas
• 6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What is Montelukast Aurovitas and what is it used for

What is Montelukast Aurovitas

Montelukast Aurovitas is a leukotriene receptor antagonist, which means it blocks the action of substances called leukotrienes.

How Montelukast Aurovitas works

Leukotrienes cause the airways to narrow and swell. By blocking the action of leukotrienes, Montelukast Aurovitas relieves asthma symptoms and helps control asthma.

When to use Montelukast Aurovitas

Your doctor has prescribed Montelukast Aurovitas for the treatment of asthma in children, to prevent asthma symptoms from occurring during the day and at night.

• Montelukast Aurovitas is used in the treatment of children and adolescents aged 6 to 14 years, whose current treatment results are unsatisfactory and require additional medication.
• Montelukast Aurovitas may also be used as an alternative to inhaled corticosteroids in patients aged 6 to 14 years who have not recently taken oral corticosteroids and are unable to use inhaled corticosteroids.
• Montelukast Aurovitas also helps prevent narrowing of the airways caused by physical exertion.

Your doctor will determine how to use Montelukast Aurovitas based on the symptoms and severity of asthma in your child.

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease.

• Difficulty breathing due to narrowing of the airways. The airways narrow or widen in response to various factors.
• Sensitivity of the airways to many factors, such as cigarette smoke, pollen, cold air, or physical exertion.
• Inflammation (swelling) of the lining of the airways. Asthma symptoms include coughing, wheezing, and a feeling of pressure in the chest.

2. Important information before taking Montelukast Aurovitas

Tell your doctor about all your current or past health problems or allergies.

When not to take Montelukast Aurovitas

If you are an adult or child with an allergy to montelukast or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).

Warnings and precautions

Discuss with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Montelukast Aurovitas.

• If your asthma symptoms worsen or you experience shortness of breath, tell your doctor immediately.
• Oral Montelukast Aurovitas is not intended for the treatment of acute asthma attacks. If an attack occurs, follow your doctor's instructions. Always carry a rescue inhaler with you.
• It is essential to take all asthma medications prescribed by your doctor. Montelukast Aurovitas should not be used as a replacement for other asthma medications prescribed by your doctor.
• If you experience symptoms such as flu-like illness, tingling or numbness, worsening shortness of breath, and/or rash, consult your doctor.
• If you are an adult or child whose asthma symptoms worsen after taking acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), you should not take medications containing this substance or other anti-inflammatory medications (also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs).

Various neuropsychiatric events (such as changes in behavior and mood, depression, and suicidal tendencies) have been reported in patients of all ages treated with montelukast (see section 4). If you experience such symptoms while taking montelukast, consult your doctor.

If you experience such symptoms while taking montelukast, consult your doctor.

Use in children

Do not use this medicine in children under 6 years of age.

For children and adolescents under 18 years of age, other forms of this medicine are available, suitable for the patient's age.

Other medicines and Montelukast Aurovitas

Tell your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines you are taking, have recently taken, or plan to take, including those obtained without a prescription.

• Phenobarbital (used to treat epilepsy)
• Phenytoin (used to treat epilepsy)
• Rifampicin (used to treat tuberculosis and some other infections).

Montelukast Aurovitas with food, drink, and alcohol

Montelukast Aurovitas chewable tablets 5 mg should not be taken with food; the medicine should be taken at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after food.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to have a child, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking Montelukast Aurovitas.

Pregnancy

Your doctor will assess whether you can take Montelukast Aurovitas during this period.

Breastfeeding

It is not known whether Montelukast Aurovitas passes into breast milk. If you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed, consult your doctor before taking Montelukast Aurovitas.

Driving and using machines

Montelukast Aurovitas is not expected to affect your ability to drive or use machines. However, individual reactions to the medicine may vary. Some side effects (such as dizziness and drowsiness) that have been reported with Montelukast Aurovitas may affect your ability to drive or use machines.

Montelukast Aurovitas contains aspartame, a source of phenylalanine. If the child taking the medicine has phenylketonuria (a rare, inherited disorder of metabolism), consider that each 5 mg chewable tablet contains phenylalanine (in an amount equivalent to 0.842 mg of phenylalanine per 5 mg chewable tablet).

Montelukast Aurovitas contains sodium

This medicine contains less than 1 mmol (23 mg) of sodium per tablet, which means it is essentially 'sodium-free'.

3. How to take Montelukast Aurovitas

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. If you are not sure, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

• Adults or children should take one Montelukast Aurovitas tablet once daily, as advised by their doctor.
• The medicine should be taken even when you do not have asthma symptoms, as well as during an acute asthma attack.

Children aged 6 to 14 years:

The recommended dose is one 5 mg chewable tablet taken once daily, in the evening.

If you are an adult or child taking Montelukast Aurovitas, make sure you are not taking other medicines that contain the same active substance, montelukast.

This medicine is for oral use.

The tablet should be chewed before swallowing.

Montelukast Aurovitas 5 mg chewable tablets should not be taken with food; the medicine should be taken at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after food.

Taking a higher dose of Montelukast Aurovitas than recommended

Contact your doctor immediately.

In most cases of overdose, no adverse effects have been observed. In cases of overdose in children and adults, the most common observations were stomach pain, drowsiness, increased thirst, headache, vomiting, and increased restlessness.

Missing a dose of Montelukast Aurovitas

Try to take Montelukast Aurovitas as recommended by your doctor. However, if a dose is missed, return to your usual schedule of taking one tablet once daily.

Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.

Stopping treatment with Montelukast Aurovitas

Montelukast Aurovitas is effective in treating asthma in adults or children only when taken regularly.

It is essential to continue using the medicine in adults or children for as long as your doctor has prescribed. This will help keep asthma symptoms under control.

If you have any further questions about the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, Montelukast Aurovitas can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

In clinical studies with montelukast 5 mg chewable tablets, the most common side effect (which may affect up to 1 in 10 people) considered to be related to Montelukast Aurovitas was:

• headache.

The following side effects have also been reported with montelukast 10 mg film-coated tablets:

• stomach pain.

These symptoms usually have a mild intensity and occur more frequently in patients treated with montelukast than in those receiving a placebo (a tablet that does not contain the medicine).

Severe side effects

Contact your doctor immediatelyif you experience any of the following severe side effects, which may require immediate medical attention.

Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people

• allergic reactions, including swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat, which may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing
• changes in behavior and mood: agitation, including aggressive behavior or hostility, depression
• seizures.

Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people

• increased tendency to bleed
• tremor
• palpitations.

Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people

• a syndrome of symptoms such as flu-like illness, tingling or numbness, worsening respiratory symptoms, and/or rash (Churg-Strauss syndrome) (see section 2)
• low platelet count
• changes in behavior and mood: hallucinations, disorientation, suicidal thoughts and behaviors
• inflammation (infection) of the lungs
• severe skin reactions (erythema multiforme), which may occur without prior symptoms
• liver inflammation.

Other side effects reported after the medicine was marketed

Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 people

• upper respiratory tract infections.

Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people

• diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
• rash
• fever
• increased liver enzymes.

Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people

• changes in behavior and mood: unusual dreams, including nightmares, difficulty sleeping, sleepwalking, irritability, feeling anxious, restlessness
• dizziness, drowsiness, tingling or numbness
• nosebleeds
• dry mouth, indigestion
• bruising, itching, hives
• muscle or joint pain, muscle cramps
• bedwetting in children
• weakness and/or fatigue, feeling unwell, swelling.

Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people

• changes in behavior and mood: attention disorders, memory disorders, uncontrolled movements.

Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people

• painful, red lumps under the skin, most often occurring on the shins (erythema nodosum)
• changes in behavior and mood: obsessive-compulsive symptoms, stuttering.

Reporting side effects

If you experience any side effects, including those not listed in this leaflet, tell your doctor or pharmacist. You can also report side effects directly to the Department of Drug Safety, Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products, Al. Jerozolimskie 181C, 02-222 Warsaw, phone: +48 22 49 21 301, fax: +48 22 49 21 309, website: https://smz.ezdrowie.gov.pl

You can also report side effects to the marketing authorization holder.

By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Montelukast Aurovitas

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the carton and blister after: Expiry date. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month stated.

Do not store above 25°C.

Store in the original package to protect from light and moisture.

HDPE bottle containing 500 tablets.

Use within 12 months of first opening the HDPE bottle.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. This will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

What Montelukast Aurovitas contains

• The active substance is montelukast. Each chewable tablet contains montelukast sodium, which is equivalent to 5 mg of montelukast.
• The other ingredients are: Mannitol (E 421), microcrystalline cellulose (PH-101), hydroxypropylcellulose 2% (6 to 10 mPa·s), sodium croscarmellose, iron oxide red (E 172), microcrystalline cellulose (PH-102), aspartame (E 951), artificial cherry flavor [flavoring substances, modified starch], and magnesium stearate.

What Montelukast Aurovitas looks like and contents of the pack

Chewable tablets

Pink, speckled, round, biconvex, uncoated tablets with 'X' engraved on one side and '53' on the other side.

Montelukast Aurovitas is available in chewable tablets packaged in PVC/Poliamid/Aluminum/PVC/Aluminum blisters and HDPE bottles with a PP closure containing a desiccant.

Package sizes:

Blisters: 7, 10, 14, 20, 28, 30, 49, 50, 56, 60, 84, 90, 98, 100, 140, and 200 chewable tablets.

HDPE bottles: 30, 90, and 500 chewable tablets.

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing authorization holder:

Aurovitas Pharma Polska Sp. z o.o.

ul. Sokratesa 13D lokal 27

01-909 Warsaw

e-mail: medicalinformation@aurovitas.pl

Manufacturer/Importer:

APL Swift Services (Malta) Limited

HF26, Hal Far Industrial Estate, Hal Far

Birzebbugia, BBG 3000

Malta

This medicinal product is authorized in the Member States of the European Economic Area under the following names:

France

MONTELUKAST ARROW LAB 5 mg, comprimé à croquer

Germany

Montelukast Aurobindo 5 mg Kautabletten

Ireland

MONTELUKAST Paediatric 5 mg Chewable Tablets

Italy

Montelukast Aurobindo Pharma Italia 5 mg Compressa masticabile

Malta

Montelukast Aurobindo 5 mg Chewable Tablets

Netherlands

Montelukast Aurobindo 5 mg, kauwtabletten

Poland

Montelukast Aurovitas

Spain

Montelukast Aurovitas 5 mg comprimidos masticables EFG

Date of last revision of the leaflet: 02/2024