Allopurinol, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antigout

Generic and brand names: allopurinol, oral; Lopurin; Zyloprim

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat:

• symptoms of gout
• high levels of uric acid in the blood if you have leukemia, lymphoma, or other types of cancer and are receiving chemotherapy
• certain kinds of kidney stones

It may be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• kidney problems
• liver problems

You have a greater risk of having an allergic reaction to this medicine if you have kidney problems and are taking a thiazide diuretic (water pill) or antibiotic such as amoxicillin or ampicillin. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Take this medicine with meals to lessen the chance the drug will upset your stomach. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of liquid daily while you are taking this medicine, unless your healthcare provider directs you otherwise. Talk to your provider about how much liquid you should drink if you have kidney or heart problems.

Check the label on the medicine for directions about your specific dose. Take this medicine exactly as prescribed. This medicine will not stop a gout attack that is already underway. However, when taken for several months, this medicine will reduce your symptoms. Keep taking it regularly. Take this medicine with other medicines your healthcare provider prescribes to treat acute attacks.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure about what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What if I overdose?

An acute overdose of this medicine is not likely to cause life-threatening symptoms. If you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine, call the poison control center at 800-222-1222.

What should I watch out for?

If you develop hives, an itchy rash, or peeling skin, stop taking the medicine and contact your provider right away.

This medicine may make you drowsy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

You may need to have lab tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine. It may make the medicine less effective.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives, itching, rash, or peeling skin; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Loss of appetite, weight loss, yellowing of eyes or skin, fever, chills, painful joints, decreased or painful urination, blood in urine, severe nosebleed, eye pain or change in vision, swelling in the legs.

Other: Nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, change in sense of taste.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• ACE inhibitor/diuretic combinations such as lisinopril/hydrochlorothiazide (Prinzide, Zestoretic), quinapril/hydrochlorothiazide (Accuretic), and captopril/hydrochlorothiazide (Capozide)
• alcohol
• antibiotics such as amoxicillin (Amoxil, Augmentin, Larotid, Trimox) and ampicillin (Principen)
• anticancer medicines such as cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar) and mercaptopurine (Purinethol)
• antidiabetic medicines such as tolbutamide and chlorpropamide (Diabinese)
• immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Imuran), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), and tacrolimus (Prograf, Protopic)
• probenecid
• sucralfate (Carafate)
• theophylline
• thiazide diuretics (water pills) such as chlorothiazide (Diuril), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), triamterene/hydrochlorothiazide (Dyazide, Maxzide), hydroflumethiazide (Saluron), and methyclothiazide (Enduron)
• warfarin (Coumadin)

Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.

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Published by RelayHealth.
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