II. Indications
- Gout Prophylaxis
- Criteria
- Recurrent episode of gout (>3 attacks per year)
- Tophaceous gout
- Nephrolithiasis
III. Precautions
- Avoid use with Azathioprine (causes toxic levels)
- Avoid in Renal Failure (or use low dose)
- Do not use for asymptomatic Hyperuricemia
- Avoid in acute gout attack (wait at least 4-6 weeks after acute attack)
- However, more recent data suggests safety in starting during acute attack (per email, Dr. John Rasor)
IV. Mechanism
- Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor
- Inhibits Uric Acid formation
V. Dosing
- Use concurrent antiinflammatory agent when starting to prevent triggering attack
- Wait to start Allopurinol until at least 6-8 weeks symptom-free from last attack
- However, see precautions above for recent data suggesting safety in starting with acute attack
- Antiinflammatory agent options to start concurrently with Allopurinol (continue for first 3-6 months)
- NSAIDS (avoid in Chronic Kidney Disease, heart disease or liver disease)
- Aleve 220 mg (OTC) orally twice daily or
- Naprosyn 250 mg orally twice daily or
- Indomethacin 25 mg orally twice daily
- Prednisone (if NSAIDs contraindicated)
- Maintenance: 10 mg orally daily, then 5 mg orally daily for 3-6 months
- Acute Exacerbation (start at first symptoms of gout recurrence): 40 mg orally for 1-3 days
- Have available as emergency prescription
- Colchicine
- Colchicine was a first line agent for Allopurinol initiation (but now too expensive)
- Generic preparations were removed from market
- Colchicine 0.6 mg PO daily to twice daily
- Colchicine was a first line agent for Allopurinol initiation (but now too expensive)
- NSAIDS (avoid in Chronic Kidney Disease, heart disease or liver disease)
- Wait to start Allopurinol until at least 6-8 weeks symptom-free from last attack
- Allopurinol 100-300 mg/day
- Use lowest dose to keep Uric Acid <6 mg/dl (<5 mg/dl if symptomatic)
- Probenacid may be used with Allopurinol if GFR>50 ml/min and normal Urine Uric Acid normal
- Duzallo (Allopurinol with Lesinurad) is an expensive alternative to Probenacid and Allopurinol
- Initiating dose
- Start: 100 mg daily for 2 weeks
- Next: 200 mg daily for 2 weeks
- Next: 300 mg daily (most effective dose for most patients)
- Some patients require higher doses (up to 800 mg/day) to maintain Uric Acid <6 mg/dl
- Adjust starting dose for Renal Function
- GFR >90 ml/min: 300 mg daily
- GFR 60-89 ml/min: 200 mg daily
- GFR 30-59 ml/min: 100 mg daily
- GFR 10-29 ml/min (or Cr >1.5): 50 mg daily (maximum dose 300 mg/day)
- GFR <10 ml/minute: Avoid or use with caution
- Use lowest dose to keep Uric Acid <6 mg/dl (<5 mg/dl if symptomatic)
VI. Monitoring: Obtain 6 weeks after starting Allopurinol
- Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
- Serum Creatinine
- Serum Uric Acid
VII. Adverse effects (more common with renal dysfunction)
- May precipitate acute gout attack (never start during active gout attack)
- See Dosing above for protocol using NSAIDs or Colchicine concurrently
- Severe Hypersensitivity Syndrome (presents as dermatitis, Pruritus)
- Varies from mild rash to Stevens Johnson Syndrome
- Genetic Testing (HLA B5801) prior to use if Hans Chinese, Thai or if CKD 3, Korean
- Stop Allopurinol if this occurs
- Toxic Hepatitis
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Cytopenias
VIII. Drug Interactions
- Azathioprine (toxicity)
- Warfarin (Allopurinal increases INR)
IX. References
- (2018) Presc Lett 25(9):50-1
- Eggebeen (2007) Am Fam Physician 76:801-12 [PubMed]
- Hainer (2014) Am Fam Physician 90(12): 831-6 [PubMed]
Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)
Related Studies
| Allopurinol (on 6/18/2017 at Walmart.com) | ||
| Allopurinol 100mg | #30 tablets for $4.00 | $0.13 each |
| Allopurinol 100mg | #90 tablets for $10.00 | $0.11 each |
| Allopurinol 300mg | #30 tablets for $4.00 | $0.13 each |
| Allopurinol 300mg | #90 tablets for $10.00 | $0.11 each |
| allopurinol (on 5/17/2017 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing) | ||
| ALLOPURINOL 100 MG TABLET | Generic | $0.13 each |
| ALLOPURINOL 300 MG TABLET | Generic | $0.24 each |
Ontology: Allopurinol (C0002144)
| Definition (CHV) | a kind of gout treatment drug |
| Definition (NCI) | A structural isomer of hypoxanthine. Allopurinol inhibits xanthine oxidase, an enzyme that converts oxypurines to uric acid. By blocking the production of uric acid, this agent decreases serum and urine concentrations of uric acid, thereby providing protection against uric acid-mediated end organ damage in conditions associated with excessive production of uric acid, i.e. the massive cell lysis associated with the treatment of some malignancies. (NCI04) |
| Definition (NCI_NCI-GLOSS) | A drug that lowers high levels of uric acid (a byproduct of metabolism) in the blood caused by some cancer treatments. |
| Definition (MSH) | A XANTHINE OXIDASE inhibitor that decreases URIC ACID production. It also acts as an antimetabolite on some simpler organisms. |
| Definition (CSP) | drug used to treat gout and other conditions in which there is an excessive buildup of uric acid. |
| Definition (PDQ) | A structural isomer of hypoxanthine. Allopurinol inhibits xanthine oxidase, an enzyme that converts oxypurines to uric acid. By blocking the production of uric acid, this agent decreases serum and urine concentrations of uric acid, thereby providing protection against uric acid-mediated end organ damage in conditions associated with excessive production of uric acid, i.e. the massive cell lysis associated with the treatment of some malignancies. Check for "http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?id=38452&idtype=1" active clinical trials or "http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?id=38452&idtype=1&closed=1" closed clinical trials using this agent. ("http://nciterms.nci.nih.gov:80/NCIBrowser/ConceptReport.jsp?dictionary=NCI_Thesaurus&code=C224" NCI Thesaurus) |
| Concepts | Pharmacologic Substance (T121) , Organic Chemical (T109) |
| MSH | D000493 |
| SnomedCT | 391735003, 387135004, 25246002 |
| LNC | LP17988-4, MTHU024809 |
| English | Allopurinol, 4H-Pyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidin-4-one, 1,5-dihydro-, 1H-Pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-ol, 4-Hydroxypyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine, 1,5-Dihydro-4H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pryimidin-4-one, allopurinol, 4'-HPP, allopurinol (medication), ALLOPURINOL, Allopurinol [Chemical/Ingredient], allopurinol sodium (as allopurinol), Allopurinol - chemical (substance), Allopurinol - chemical, 1,5-Dihydro-4H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one, Allopurinol (product), Allopurinol (substance), ALLO |
| Swedish | Allopurinol |
| Czech | alopurinol |
| Finnish | Allopurinoli |
| Russian | ALLOPURINOL, АЛЛОПУРИНОЛ |
| Japanese | アロプリノール |
| Croatian | ALOPURINOL |
| Polish | Allopurinol, Zyloprin |
| Spanish | alopurinol - sustancia química (sustancia), alopurinol - sustancia química, alopurinol (producto), alopurinol (sustancia), alopurinol, Alopurinol |
| French | Allopurinol |
| German | Allopurinol |
| Italian | Allopurinolo |
| Portuguese | Alopurinol |
Ontology: Zyloprim (C0701096)
| Concepts | Pharmacologic Substance (T121) , Organic Chemical (T109) |
| MSH | D000493 |
| English | zyloric, zyloprim, Zyloric, Glaxo Wellcome Brand of Allopurinol, Wellcome Brand of Allopurinol, Allopurinol Wellcome Brand, Zyloprim |
