Gout is treated with allopurinol (a type of arthritis in which uric acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body, builds up in the joints and causes sudden attacks of redness, swelling, pain, and heat in one or more joints). When certain types of cancer patients are receiving chemotherapy drugs, elevated levels of uric acid that accumulate in the blood as tumours break down are also addressed with allopurinol. In patients with high urine uric acid levels, it is also used to treat kidney stones that have recurred. Allopurinol belongs to the group of drugs known as xanthine oxidase inhibitors. It functions by lessening the body’s ability to produce uric acid. Kidney stones or gout attacks may result from high uric acid levels. Gout attacks are not treated after they happen; instead, allopurinol is used to prevent them.

Allopurinol is available as an oral tablet. It is often taken once or twice daily, ideally right after eating. Take allopurinol at roughly the same time each day to aid in memory. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Follow the medication’s directions precisely. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Allopurinol will likely be prescribed to you at a modest starting dose by your doctor, who will then likely gradually increase it up to once a week.

Before you experience allopurinol’s full benefits, it could take weeks, months, or even longer. Although it eventually prevents attacks, allopurinol may cause more gout attacks during the first few months of use. For the first few months that you take allopurinol, your doctor may advise another drug, such as colchicine, to prevent gout episodes. Even if you feel well, you should keep taking allopurinol. Without consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking allopurinol.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking allopurinol,

• If you have an allergy to allopurinol, any other drugs, or any of the ingredients in allopurinol tablets, tell your doctor and pharmacist right away. Request a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• While using allopurinol, be sure to let your doctor and pharmacist know what prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbal items, and nutritional supplements you are taking. Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Inform your physician if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, renal or liver disease, or heart failure now or in the past.
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking allopurinol.
• You ought to be aware that allopurinol might make you feel sleepy. Prior to understanding how this drug affects you, avoid using machinery or driving a car.
• Inquire with your doctor if drinking alcohol is okay for you to do so while taking allopurinol.

Unless your doctor instructs you otherwise, consume at least eight 8-ounce (240 millilitre) cups of water or other liquids every day while taking allopurinol.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Side effects with allopurinol are possible. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Drowsiness

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Even if the following signs are unusual, you should stop taking allopurinol right away and contact your doctor or seek emergency care if you notice any of them:

• Hives, rashes, or itching
• Skin that is flaking, blistering, or peeling
• Skin patches that are purple or red
• Unpleasant urination
• Urine with blood in it
• Discomfort in the eyes
• Swelling of the mouth or lips
• Flu-like symptoms or a fever
• Enlarged glands
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes, discomfort in the upper right abdomen, nauseousness, vomiting, itching, or extreme exhaustion

Other negative effects of allopurinol are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Store it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To monitor your body’s reaction to allopurinol, your doctor will request specific lab tests.

Inform the lab staff and your doctor that you are taking allopurinol prior to any laboratory test.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.