Recent Findings of A Correlation Between Singulair and Suicide

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Recent Findings of A Correlation Between
Singulair and Suicide

• by Hannah Kreilkamp
• Sade Alade
• Morgan Parkerson
• and Amanda Keenholts

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5 year old Lucas has asthma and is prescribed
Singulair

• During an asthma attack, the smooth muscle of the
  bronchi constricts, reducing air flow to the
  lungs.
• Asthma can cause inflammation of the bronchi, and
  can also create a thick lining of mucus along the
  bronchi.

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How Singulair Works

• Singulair is a competitive leukotriene inhibitor
  also known as sodium montelukast.
• It works by preventing leukotriene from binding
  to cell receptors on inflammatory cells (receptor
  antagonist).
• Lecture Connection
• Leukotriene is an example of a paracrine message.
  Thus it is a short distance (local) chemical
  message that must find a receptor on target
  cells.

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http//www.singulair.com/montelukast_sodium/singul
air/hcp/asthma/role_of_leukotrienes/index.jsp
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ANALOGY Cops and Robbers

• Montelukast functions as the po po.
• It tracks down the leukotriene, aka robbers, and
  inhibits leukotriene from causing a detrimental
  chain of events.

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Original Research

• Singulair was first given to adults in a 12 week
  double blind, placebo controlled study. There
  were 1,576 patients. 795 given Singulair, 530
  given placebo, 231 treated with different med.
• For pediatrics, 2-5 years, a 12 week placebo
  controlled study was done, on 689 patients, 461
  were given Singulair. This study resulted in
  approval, based on the safety and effectiveness
  of the drug.

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Side Effects of Singulair

• This past year, Merck has updated the side
  affects of Singulair to include
• Tremor (Mar 2007)
• Depression (Apr 2007)
• Suicidality (Oct 2007)
• Anxiousness (Feb 2008)

• The FDA states
• Due to the complexity of the analyses, FDA
  anticipates that it may take up to 9 months to
  complete ongoing evaluations
• -March 27, 2008

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References

• http//www.singulair.com/montelukast_sodium/singul
  air/hcp/asthma/index.jsp
• http//www.fda.gov/CDER/consumerinfo/druginfo/sing
  ulair.HTM
• http//www.fda.gov/Cder/drug/early_comm/montelukas
  t.htm