Here's some soothing news for people suffering from asthma or cat allergies. Johns Hopkins researchers report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that a new medication called Zafirlukast not only prevents wheezing and shortness of breath, but also helps calm the itchy, runny noses triggered by cat dander.
Those who participated in the study endured a one-hour stay in a carpeted room where several house cats lived. Participants were exposed to up to 100 times the level of allergens normally found in a home. Zafirlukast was found to significantly reduce the number of lung and nasal allergic symptoms people experienced when exposed to cats, researchers found.
Zafirlukast is one of a new class of asthma medicines known as leukotriene antagonists. Leukotriene antagonists block chemicals released by lung cells that are responsible for allergy symptoms.
Zafirlukast is not a steroid drug and comes in pill form. It can also be used in conjunction with an inhaled steroid and/or long-acting bronchodilator.
