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ALLOPURINOL
(Generic
Zyloprim ®)
Allopurinol
(Generic Zyloprim ®) is a hyperuricemic agent used
in the treatment of many symptoms of gout, including acute
attacks, tophi (collection of uric acid crystals in the tissues,
especially around joints), joint destruction, and uric acid
stones. Gout is a form of arthritis characterized by increased
blood levels of uric acid. Allopurinol works by reducing
uric acid production in the body, thus preventing crystals
from forming. Allopurinol works by reducing uric acid
production in the body, thus preventing crystals from forming.
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| Product |
Dosage |
Qty |
Consult |
Price |
Order |
| Allopurinol |
300 mg |
30 Tabs |
FREE |
|
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| Allopurinol |
300 mg |
60 Tabs |
FREE |
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| Allopurinol |
300 mg |
90 Tabs |
FREE |
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Zyloprim
® is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.
Chemical Name : Allopurinol
Important Note
The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute
for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or
other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate
that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.
Consult your healthcare professional before using this drug.
Uses
Allopurinol is used to treat chronic gout and to keep the
body from producing excessive amounts of uric acid, which could
lead to or aggravate various medical problems. It is used to prevent
gout attacks, not to treat them once they occur. Allopurinol
is also used to manage the increased uric acid levels in the blood
of people with certain cancers, such as leukemia. It is also prescribed
to manage some types of kidney stones.
Allopurinol
will not stop a gout attack that is already underway. However, when
taken over a period of several months, this drug will begin to reduce
your symptoms. It's important to keep taking it regularly, even
if it seems to have no immediate effect.
The usual starting dose of Allopurinol is 100 milligrams
once daily. Your doctor may increase your dose by 100 milligrams
per day at 1-week intervals until desired results are attained.
The average dose is 200 to 300 milligrams per day for mild gout
and 400 to 600 milligrams daily for moderate to severe gout. The
most Allopurinol you should take in a day is 800 milligrams.
How
to take this medication
Take Allopurinol exactly as prescribed. Your doctor will
probably start you on a low Allopurinol dosage, increasing
it gradually each week until you reach the Allopurinol dosage
that is best for you. A typical starting Zyloprim dose is one 100-milligram
tablet per day. You may want to take Allopurinol immediately
after a meal to minimize the risk of stomach irritation. You should
avoid taking large doses of Vitamin C because of the increased possibility
of kidney stone formation.
Side
Effects
Side effects cannot be anticipated. Only your doctor can determine
if it is safe for you to continue taking Allopurinol. A skin
reaction, the most common side effect of Allopurinol, may
occasionally become severe or even fatal, you should stop taking
Allopurinol if you notice even the beginnings of a rash.
Such a rash may be itchy or scaly or may make your skin peel off
in sheets; it may be accompanied by chills and fever, aching joints,
or jaundice.
You may experience acute attacks of gout more often in the early
stages of Zyloprim therapy, even when normal uric acid levels have
been attained. These attacks Allopurinol become shorter and
less severe after several months of therapy. A kidney problem may
turn a normal dose of Allopurinol into an overdose. If you
have a kidney disease, or a condition such as diabetes or high blood
pressure that may affect your kidneys, your doctor should prescribe
Allopurinol cautiously and order periodic blood and urine
tests to assess your kidney function.
Precautions
While taking Allopurinol you should drink plenty of liquids--10
to 12 glasses (8 ounces each) per day--unless otherwise prescribed
by your doctor. To help prevent attacks of gout, you should also
avoid beer, wine, and purine-rich foods such as anchovies, sardines,
liver, kidneys, lentils, and sweetbreads.
If you have been taking Colchicine and/or an anti-inflammatory
drug, such as Anaprox, Indocin, and others, to relieve your
gout, your doctor will probably want you to continue taking this
medication while your Allopurinol dosage is being adjusted.
Later, when you have had no attacks of gout for several months,
you may be able to stop taking these other medications. If you have
been taking a drug that promotes the excretion of uric acid in the
urine, such as Probenecid (Benemid) or Sulfinpyrazone
(Anturane), to try to prevent attacks of gout, your doctor
will probably want to reduce or stop your dosage of this drug while
increasing your dosage of Allopurinol.
Allopurinol
appears in breast milk; what effect it may have on a nursing baby
is unknown. Caution is advised when Allopurinol
is taken during breastfeeding.
Drug
Interactions
If Allopurinol
is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be
increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to
check with your doctor before combining Allopurinol
with the following: Amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox, Wymox), Ampicillin
(Omnipen, Principen), Azathioprine (Imuran), Blood thinners such
as Coumadin, Cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral), Drugs for diabetes,
such as Diabinese and Orinase, Mercaptopurine (Purinethol), Probenecid
(Benemid, ColBENEMID), Sulfinpyrazone (Anturane), Theophylline (Theo-Dur,
Sl,-Phyllin, and others), Thiazide diuretics such as HydroDIURIL,
Diuril, and others, Vitamin C.
Overdose
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center
or emergency room immediately.The following symptoms indicate an
overdose: dizziness; fainting; fast heartbeat.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near
the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your
usual dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for
a missed one.
Storage
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed,
and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away
from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away
any medication that is outdated or no longer needed.
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Interaction between Zyloprim ( Allopurinol ) and copper: possible role in myocardial protection
Zyloprim ( Allopurinol ), a potent inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, is known to effectively protect the heart against damage in patients undergoing cardiac bypass surgery. There is still an ambiguity concerning the presence of xanthine oxidase in the human heart. Thus, the mechanism underlying the protective effect of Zyloprim ( Allopurinol ) is unclear. Transition metal ions, such as iron and copper, can participate in single-electron reactions and mediate the formation of oxygen-derived free radicals.
Results show that Zyloprim ( Allopurinol ) substantially reduced the copper-mediated and ascorbate-driven DNA breakage. It is suggested that the beneficial effects of Zyloprim ( Allopurinol ) during reperfusion of the heart could stem from its chelation of copper, yielding a complex with low redox activity.
Gout and Hyperuricemia
Gout is condition that results from crystals of uric acid depositing in tissues of the body. Gout is characterized by an overload of uric acid in the body and recurring attacks of joint inflammation (arthritis). Chronic gout can lead to deposits of hard lumps of uric acid in and around the joints, decreased kidney function, and kidney stones. It is often related to an inherited abnormality in the body's ability to process uric acid.
Uric acid is a breakdown product of purines, that are part of many foods we eat. An abnormality in handling uric acid can cause attacks of painful arthritis (gout attack), kidney stones, and blockage of the kidney filtering tubules with uric acid crystals, leading to kidney failure. On the other hand, some patients may only develop elevated blood uric acid levels (hyperuricemia) without having arthritis or kidney problems. The term "gout" commonly is used to refer to the painful arthritis attacks.
Gout : Treatment by lowering Uric Acid Levels
In addition to medications for acute gout attacks, other drugs can be taken over prolonged periods to lower blood uric acid levels. Lowering blood uric acid levels reduces the risk of recurrent attacks of arthritis, kidney stones, and kidney disease, and also dissolves hard tophi deposits. Medicines used to lower blood uric acid level work either by increasing the kidney excretion of uric acid, or by decreasing the body's production of uric acid from the purine in foods. These medicines are generally not started until after the inflammation from acute gouty arthritis has subsided because they can worsen the attack. If they are already being taken prior to the attack, they are continued and only adjusted after the attack has resolved. Since many patients with elevated blood uric acid levels may not develop gouty attacks or kidney stones, the decision for prolonged treatment with uric acid-lowering drugs should be individualized.
Gout : Dietary Changes Required
Alcohol can also affect uric acid metabolism and cause hyperuricemia. Prevention of acute gout involves maintaining adequate fluid intake, weight reduction, dietary changes, reduction in alcohol consumption, and medications to reduce hyperuricemia. Maintaining adequate fluid intake helps prevent acute gout attacks. Adequate fluid intake also decreases the risk of kidney stone formation in patients with gout.
Dietary changes can help reduce uric acid levels in the blood. Since purine chemicals are converted by the body into uric acid, purine rich foods are avoided. Examples of foods rich in purine include shellfish and organ meats, such as liver, brains, kidneys, and sweetbreads. Researchers have reported, in general, that meat or seafood consumption increases the risk of gout attacks, while dairy consumption seemed to reduce the risk! Protein intake or purine-rich vegetable consumption was not associated with an increased risk of gout. Weight reduction can be helpful in lowering the risk of recurrent attacks of gout. This is best accomplished by reducing dietary fat and calorie intake, combined with a regular aerobic exercise program.
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