Once an acute gout attack has improved, gout treatment is aimed at preventing future attacks by controlling uric acid in the blood -- or keeping it below concentrations at which crystals can form. This gout treatment may be lifelong and include a combination of lifestyle changes and medications.
You can learn more about these lifestyle changes used to prevent gout by clicking on Gout Prevention.
There are generally two types of medicines that may be used to prevent future gout attacks.
One type of medicine is used to slow the rate at which the body produces uric acid.
Allopurinol (
Zyloprim®) has been approved for the treatment of gout and is frequently prescribed to gout patients who have uric acid
kidney stones or other kidney problems.
Side effects of allopurinol include skin rash and upset stomach, both of which usually subside as the body becomes used to the drug. Allopurinol makes some people drowsy, so people taking the drug should be careful about driving or operating heavy machinery until they know how the drug affects them.
The other type of medicines (known as uricosuric drugs) are used to increase the amount of uric acid removed in urine. Two so-called uricosuric drugs commonly used as preventative gout treatment are:
- Probenecid (Benemid®)
- Sulfinpyrazone (Anturane®).
Both of these medicines are approved for gout treatment. In addition to lowering blood uric acid levels, these drugs help dissolve deposits of uric acid crystals around joints and in other tissue. Allopurinol is also used to dissolve tophaceous gout in uric acid over-producers.
Uricosurics can cause nausea, stomach upset,
headache, and a potentially serious skin rash.
Drugs to control uric acid levels may actually prolong an acute attack. For this reason, probenecid, sulfinpyrazone, and allopurinol are not used during the acute attack of gout. They may, in fact, worsen gout flare-ups during the early part of long-term use. Therefore, for some patients, the healthcare provider may also prescribe oral colchicine in small daily doses to prevent future attacks.
Previous
Add this article to your Favorites
Email this article
Print