Allopurinol and Gout

Allopurinol and gout

Allopurinol and Gout

For the past 30 years Allopurinol has been used to combat gout.

Allopurinol prevents the release of  a substance called xanthine oxidise which aids in the creation of uric acid, or commonly known as a uric acid blocker. Allopurinol can also be used to control frequent gout attacks, help reduce tophi ( clumps of uric acid that crystallize and can appear on the ear lobe or on the elbows and hands in a lump form )This drug is also used for people with uric acid kidney stones and poor kidney function.

The average dosage is 200 - 300 mg for an adult and for more severe
gout the dosage is around the 400-600mg per day.

For uric kidney stone sufferers 600 - 800 mg per day , but this is
 determined by the patients medical background. If under cancer
 treatments then the treatment will start days before and after the
 chemotherapy treatments.

Children suffering from Cancer and uric acid kidney stones  generally
 have around the 10mg per day divided up into smaller dosages.

Allopurinol and Gout:

Women who are pregnant should not take this drug as the fetus can be effected.

This also includes breast feeding mothers, as Allopurinol in even a
 small dosage can extremely effect new born babies.

It is also used to  decrease the uric acid levels in the blood and urine, and has also been used successfully in the treatment of uric acid levels in patients who are under chemotherapy treatments for leukemia, and tumor lysis  syndrome in cancer patients.

This drug should not be mixed with a patient taking other drugs such as:
 high blood pressure diuretic drugs or angiotensin drugs such as
 enalapril, captopril and listinopril.

It is also not recommended for people who are have  hemochromatosis or too much iron  in their body.
 Also  not recommended to be used until the symptoms of Gout
 are gone, but if using the drug before a gout attack occurs then you can continue to take it.

 Gout attacks may be more severe for some individuals taking  allopurinol
 at first, and due to this doctors may also prescribe colchicine which
 helps stop or block inflammation, or they can prescribe low dose  NSAIDs.

Doctors will also take into consideration the use of uricosuric
 medications in preference over allopurinol due to its rare risk of
 serious side effects.



                         Side Effects of Allopurinol



Side effects of Allopurinol consist of

Itching

 

Rashes



Swelling of the mouth and lips

 

Jaundice type of effects such as yellow skin and eyes

 

Blood in the urine and painful urination

 

Bleeding for no reason

 

Bruising for no reason

 

Loss of hair

 

Fevers or temperatures

 

Nausea



Vomiting

 

Poor kidney function



Constant tiredness

 

Hives

 

Eye irritations

 

Loss of appetite

 

Can effect blood thinner drugs such as warfarin and also cause bleeding with this drug.

Nerve toxicitiy taken with vidarbine

 Can affect the liver and its functions when taken with diabetic drugs
 and cause liver toxicity.

 

Inflammation of blood vessels



 Do not take with amoxicillin and ampicillin drugs due to allergic
 reactions.



 Also known to cause kidney and bone marrow damage.



                         History of Allopurinol



Allopurinol and Gout:



Discovered by accident in 1956 Allopurinol was used as a cancer
 treatment.

 First marketed as a drug in 1963, and in 1970 the New England journal of medicine first
 reported strong links to deaths due to this drug. In 1986 there were
 22 deaths linked to this drug. 

 This was published in the journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism in
 1986  significant morbidity and
 mortality associated with the allopurinol hypersensitivity  syndrome
 also issued with a warning for doctors prescribing this drug.




Always seek medical advice before taking any drug or herb for  Gout.

                                       Allopurinol and Gout