Allopurinol : Drug Information
What is Allopurinol?
Allopurinol is available under the brand name called Zyloprim; it is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor. Doctors prescribe this medicine to treat the uric acid level in the blood. It is also beneficial to prevent gout and kidney stones and maintain the body’s uric acid level. Allopurinol acts by reducing the production of uric acid in the body. Allopurinol is available in oral tablets as well as injections. One can avail of this medication only with a proper prescription from a doctor.
Important Information
- You need to regularly visit your doctor and take frequent blood and urine test while on this medication.
- You should follow other doctors’ advice while taking this medication, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise.
- Please ask the doctor before taking any over the counter medicine while you are using Allopurinol.
- If you have a kidney stone, you should limit the intake of sodium, animal protein, food item rich in calcium and oxalate.
What to know before taking Allopurinol?
You should avoid taking this medication if you are allergic to it or any of its components. To ensure that Allopurinol is safe for you, you should tell your doctor if you have or ever had the following medical issues:
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Diabetes
- Congestive heart failure
- High blood pressure
- Cancer
- Problem with the bone marrow
- the high uric acid level
How to take Allopurinol?
Take Allopurinol precisely as prescribed by the doctor. You must follow all the instructions given on the prescription label and medication guide carefully. Please don’t take it more than recommended and try to be consistent throughout the treatment. Consult your doctor if you are not feeling any improvement in your condition.
Keep the medication out of children’s reach and store it at room temperature away from heat and moisture. After completion of treatment, ask your pharmacist regarding the disposal of leftover medicines.
Allopurinol Dosage
The dosage of Allopurinol prescribed by the doctor is dependent on several factors, such as :
- The age and weight of the patient
- Symptoms
- The seriousness of the condition
- Other medical issues that the patient is having
- Other medications that the patient is using
- How the patient reacted to the first dose of the medication
The doctor may prescribe the dosage of Allopurinol according to the different medical conditions of the patient.
In the form of oral tablets
Dosage for gout
- For adults
Daily 100 mg to 300 mg, once a day, or you can divide the medicine dose, as advised by your doctor. Your doctor can adjust the quantity of medicine as per the requirement. However, it should not exceed more than 800 mg per day.
- For children
Your doctor will determine the dose for the child after a full medical check-up.
Dosage for high uric acid caused due to cancer.
- For adults (above 11 years)
600 mg to 800 mg of Allopurinol tablet once a day or divided into the dose for 2 to 3 days
- For children (less than 6 to 10 years of age)
300 mg once a day or divided into the dose for 2 to 3 days
- For children (below six years of age)
150 mg once a day or divided into the dose for 2 to 3 days
Dosage for kidney stones
- For adults
Daily 200 mg to 300 mg, once a day, or you can divide the medicine dose, as advised by your doctor. Your doctor can adjust the quantity of medicine as per the requirement. However, it should not exceed more than 800 mg per day.
- For children
Your doctor will determine the dose for the child after a full medical check-up.
Overdose
There are no specific Allopurinol overdose symptoms, but if you ever feel uneasy while taking this medication, you can consult your doctor and seek a medical assistant. You can also call the poison helpline number at 1-800-222-1222.
What to avoid while using Allopurinol?
Taking this medication can impair your thinking process or reaction to that. You must be very careful while driving and doing activities that require alertness and attention. Avoid alcoholic drinks while using Amlodipine; it may worsen your symptoms.
Allopurinol side effects
Some of the common side effects of using Allopurinol are as follows:
- Drowsiness
- Rashes
- Abnormal liver function test
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Loss of taste
It is obvious to experience mild side effect symptoms, but if these symptoms bother you so much and are unbearable, you should consult your doctor and ask for medical help. You can stop taking medication and tell your doctor if you face the following problems while taking Allopurinol:
- Skin rashes
- Any allergic reaction to the medicine
- Symptoms of flu
- Pain in joint
- Easy bruising
- Unusual bleeding
- Blood in urine
- Painful urination
- Little urine
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Burning pain
- Worsening gout symptoms
- Problems in the liver such as loss of appetite, loss in weight, pain in the stomach, jaundice
You should also report to your doctor from time to time if you experience any new symptoms or your symptoms are getting even more worst.
What drugs can interact with Allopurinol?
If your doctor is treating you with Allopurinol, he must be knowing all the possible interactions with other medications. It is your responsibility to tell the doctor about all the over the counter medicines you take or taken in the past few days. Some of the following medications which can interact with Allopurinol are:
- Water pills
- A blood thinner such as warfarin, jantoven, etc
- Anti-biotics
- Cyclosporine
- Chlorpropamide
- Azathioprine or mercaptopurine
- Herbal products
- Vitamins and other nutritional supplements