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Limited Use
[what does this mean?]
Generic drug name:
allopurinol
(al oh PURE i nole)
Brand name(s):
LOPURIN,
ZYLOPRIM
GENERIC:
available
FAMILY:
Drugs for Arthritis and Gout
Find the drug label by
searching at DailyMed.
Pregnancy and Breast-feeding Warnings [top]
Pregnancy Warning
There is a published report of allopurinol causing deaths and malformations in an animal study. Because of the potential for serious adverse effects to the fetus, this drug should not be used by pregnant women.
Breast-feeding Warning
Allopurinol is excreted in human milk. Because of the potential for adverse effects in nursing infants, you should not take this drug while nursing.
Facts About This Drug [top]
Allopurinol helps to prevent gout attacks. Gout occurs when there is a high level of uric acid in the body, and a gout attack occurs when crystals of uric acid form in the joints and the body releases chemicals in response to the crystals. This causes pain and inflammation. Allopurinol works by decreasing production of uric acid, thereby lowering the level of uric acid in the blood.[1]
Allopurinol will not relieve a gout attack that has already started. If you are taking allopurinol, keep...
Allopurinol helps to prevent gout attacks. Gout occurs when there is a high level of uric acid in the body, and a gout attack occurs when crystals of uric acid form in the joints and the body releases chemicals in response to the crystals. This causes pain and inflammation. Allopurinol works by decreasing production of uric acid, thereby lowering the level of uric acid in the blood.[1]
Allopurinol will not relieve a gout attack that has already started. If you are taking allopurinol, keep taking it during an attack, even if another drug is prescribed to treat the attack.
After you start using allopurinol, your gout attacks may become more frequent for a while. Keep taking the drug. If you take it regularly, the attacks gradually will become less frequent and less painful, and they may stop completely after several months.
Allopurinol can cause skin rashes, allergic reactions and kidney stones. In some cases, the skin rash and allergic reactions can be life-threatening. Stop taking allopurinol and call your doctor at the first sign of skin rash or allergic reaction.[2] To help prevent kidney stones while taking allopurinol, drink at least 10 to 12 full glasses (eight ounces each) of fluid each day unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Too much vitamin C also increases your risk of forming kidney stones, so do not take vitamin C supplements while you are taking allopurinol unless you have checked with your doctor first.
Allopurinol should not be used to lower high levels of uric acid in the body in patients without gout symptoms. In such patients, the increased risk of life-threatening skin reactions outweighs any benefit of the drug.[3]
Results of two clinical trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2020 showed that treatment with allopurinol did not slow the decline in kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease.[4],[5]
Before You Use This Drug [top]
Tell your doctor if you have or have had:
Tell your doctor about any other drugs you take, including aspirin, herbs, vitamins, and other nonprescription products.
When You Use This Drug [top]
How to Use This Drug [top]
Interactions with Other Drugs [top]
The following drugs, biologics (e.g., vaccines, therapeutic antibodies), or foods are listed in Evaluations of Drug Interactions 2003 as causing “highly clinically significant” or “clinically significant” interactions when used together with any of the drugs in this section. In some sections with multiple drugs, the interaction may have been reported for one but not all drugs in this section, but we include the interaction because the drugs in this section are similar to one another. We have also included potentially serious interactions listed in the drug’s FDA-approved professional package insert or in published medical journal articles. There may be other drugs, especially those in the families of drugs listed below, that also will react with this drug to cause severe adverse effects. Make sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist the drugs you are taking and tell them if you are taking any of these interacting drugs:
AMOXIL, ampicillin, amoxicillin, ARA-A, ARABINOSIDE, azathioprine, chlorpropamide, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, CYTOXAN, DIABINESE, dicumarol, DILANTIN, ELIXOPHYLLIN, IMURAN, mercaptopurine, OMNIPEN, phenytoin, PURINETHOL, SANDIMMUNE, SLO-BID, THEO-24, theophylline, vidarabine, VIRA-A.
Adverse Effects [top]
Call your doctor immediately if you experience:
Call your doctor if these symptoms continue:
Periodic Tests[top]
Ask your doctor which of these tests should be done periodically while you are taking this drug:
last reviewed August 31, 2024
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