PlainMeds provides educational information only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

digoxin vs montelukast

Side-by-side comparison of digoxin and montelukast. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

DRUG INTERACTIONS No dose adjustment is needed when montelukast sodium is co-administered with theophylline, prednisone, prednisolone, oral contraceptives, terfenadine, digoxin, warfarin, gemfibrozil, itraconazole, thyroid hormones, sedative hypnotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, benzodiazepines, decongestants, and Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme inducers [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .

Recommendation: No dose changes are necessary when taking these two drugs together.

Drug Class
digoxin Cardiac Glycoside
montelukast Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist
Type
digoxin Prescription
montelukast Prescription
Summary
digoxin

Digoxin (Lanoxin) is a medicine that helps your heart pump better. It is used to treat heart failure and control irregular heartbeats.

montelukast

Montelukast is a medicine that helps control asthma and allergies. It works by blocking certain natural substances in your body that cause asthma and allergy symptoms.

What It Treats
digoxin

Digoxin is used to treat mild to moderate heart failure in adults. It helps the heart pump more blood with each beat. Digoxin is also used in children with heart failure to help their heart work better. In adults, it can control a fast and irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.

montelukast

Montelukast is used to prevent asthma symptoms and treat long-term asthma. It can also prevent breathing problems caused by exercise. Additionally, it helps relieve symptoms of allergies like sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes, both seasonal and year-round.

How It Works
digoxin

Digoxin belongs to a class of drugs called cardiac glycosides. It works by making the heart muscle contract more strongly. It also slows down the electrical signals in the heart, which can help control irregular heartbeats.

montelukast

This medicine blocks leukotrienes, which are substances your body releases that cause swelling in the lungs and tightening of the muscles around your airways. By blocking these substances, montelukast helps you breathe easier. It also reduces allergy symptoms.

Common Side Effects
digoxin
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
montelukast
  • Upper respiratory infection
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Cough
FAERS Reports
digoxin
  • Shortness of breath 6,062
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 4,747
  • Feeling lightheaded or unsteady 4,442
  • Feeling very tired 4,174
  • Irregular heartbeat 3,972
montelukast
  • Difficulty breathing 7,724
  • Asthma 7,439
  • Tiredness 5,505
  • Headache 4,785
  • Cough 4,617
Serious Warnings
digoxin

Digoxin can cause serious side effects, including dangerous heart rhythms. You are at higher risk if you have certain heart conditions or kidney problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, vision changes, or an irregular heartbeat.

montelukast

Do not use montelukast to treat a sudden asthma attack. Always have your rescue medicine with you. Do not suddenly stop taking steroid medicines if you are also taking montelukast. Some patients have experienced changes in behavior or mood, including suicidal thoughts. Tell your doctor right away if you notice these changes.

Pregnancy
digoxin

It is not known if digoxin can harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. The medicine passes into breast milk, but it is unlikely to harm the baby.

montelukast

If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor before taking montelukast. It is not known if montelukast passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

How to Read This digoxin vs montelukast Comparison

digoxin is classified in the Cardiac Glycoside drug class, while montelukast sits within the Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, digoxin has 23,397 submissions while montelukast has 30,070. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to these medications do not interfere with each other's levels in the blood.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between digoxin and montelukast - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.