Personal Injury Law

Precaution Label For Asthma Drugs Re: Psychiatric Side Effects

By Jamie Sheller

The FDA is now requesting that certain asthma drugs carry a precaution about the risk of psychiatric side effects. In January, after a partial review of clinical trial data from asthma drug manufacturers, the FDA said that it had not found evidence of a link between the drugs and psychiatric effects. However, the review was still ongoing. It was completed in April. According to the FDA, there are reports of drug-induced neuropsychiatric events, including agitation, hallucinations, suicidal thinking and behavior, and depression in people taking some asthma drugs. The new precaution, requested by the FDA, will be carried by leukotriene receptor agonists. Some popular drugs in this category are Singulair and Accolate. Some leukotriene synthesis inhibitors, like Zyflo and Zyflo CR will also carry the psychiatric event precaution on their labels. If patients taking these asthma drugs experience any neuropsychiatric problem, they should talk with their doctor, who may decide that the medication should be stopped.

Full post as published by Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyer on June 15, 2009 (boomark / email).