GoutPal Interactive

Though most gout patients – or at least the ones who read GoutPal.com – understand the importance of lowering uric acid, many are concerned about medication side effects.

To put this into context, the side-effects of NOT lowering uric acid are extensive bone, cartilage, and tendon damage for gout sufferers. This is permanent damage caused by urate crystals, but so slow that you do not notice until it is too late. Another side-effect of high uric acid in the blood is an increased risk of kidney stones. These can cause permanent kidney damage, and they are extremely painful. So, before you dismiss urate lowering therapy for fear of the (often low) risk of side effects, consider carefully the (almost certain) risks of doing nothing.

I’ve written about allopurinol side effects before, but now that we have a new uric acid lowering drug, febuxostat, gout patients are wondering if this has fewer effects.

A clear side-by-side comparison is beyond the scope of this article. There are several comparative studies, but none, as far as I am aware, are a strict comparison of doses at similar uric acid levels.

Febuxostat launched recently in the US under the brand Uloric. Previously, it was launched in Europe under the brand Adenuric. Earlier this month, the European Public Assessment Report for Adenuric was updated, which includes summaries of side effects from trials of febuxostat for gout patients.

Febuxostat Side Effects

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All gout sufferers should be happy to have this choice. Allopurinol intolerant gout patients must be euphoric.

I know many GoutPal visitors suffer reactions to allopurinol that make it impossible, or uncomfortable to maintain crucial uric acid lowering treatment. These are a minority of allopurinol users as most people can take allopurinol without problems. Patients with kidney problems are common in allopurinol-intolerant groups.

If you have this intolerance, please see your doctor today and discuss Uloric for your gout. If you live outside the US, febuxostat may well be approved in your country, but it might be sold as Adenuric.