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10.9: Antigout

  • Page ID
    24325
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    Antigout medications are used to treat gout, a musculoskeletal disorder. Some antigout medications, such as colchicine, are classified as anti-inflammatory medication. Allopurinol is commonly used to prevent gout from recurring.

    Allopurinol

    Mechanism of Action

    Allopurinol blocks the production of uric acid by inhibiting the action of xanthine oxidase.[1]

    Indications for Use

    Allopurinol is used for the prevention and treatment of gouty arthritis and nephropathy and for the treatment of secondary hyperuricemia.

    Nursing Considerations Across the Lifespan

    Allopurinol is safe for all ages. For patients with renal impairment, the dose will be reduced.

    Adverse/Side Effects

    Adverse effects include hypotension, flushing, hypertension, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, hepatitis, renal failure, or a drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome or drug hypersensitivity syndrome.[2]

    Patient Teaching & Education

    The medication should be taken as directed. An alkaline diet may be ordered for the patient, and they may be advised to increase fluid intake to prevent kidney stone formation. The medication may cause dizziness or drowsiness. Patients who consume large amounts of alcohol may increase uric acid concentrations and decrease the effectiveness of the medication. If patients develop a rash or blood in the urine, this should be reported promptly to the healthcare provider.[3]

    Now let’s take a closer look at the medication grid on allopurinol in Table 10.9.[4],[5],[6]

    Table 10.9 Allopurinol Medication Grid
    Class/

    Subclass

    Prototype-

    generic

    Administration Considerations Therapeutic Effects Adverse/Side Effects
    Antigout agent allopurinol May be given with milk or meals to decrease stomach upset

    Give with plenty of water

    May be crushed

    Monitor patient’s intake and output

    Monitor hematologic, renal, and liver functions before and during therapy

    If rash occurs, notify healthcare provider

    Prevention and treatment of attacks of gouty arthritis and nephropathy

    Treatment of secondary hyperuricemia

    Hypotension

    Flushing

    Hypertension

    Drowsiness

    Nausea and vomiting

    Diarrhea

    Hepatitis

    Rash

    Renal failure


    1. Vallerand, A., & Sanoski, C. A. (2019). Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses (16th ed.). F.A. Davis Company. ↵
    2. Cleveland Clinic. (2017, January 26). Acute v. chronic pain.https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12051-acute-vs-chronic-pain. ↵
    3. uCentral from Unbound Medicine. https://www.unboundmedicine.com/ucentral
    4. Frandsen, G., & Pennington, S. (2018). Abrams’ clinical drug: Rationales for nursing practice (11th ed.). pg. 305, 310, 952-953, 959-960. Wolters Kluwer. ↵
    5. Vallerand, A., & Sanoski, C. A. (2019). Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses (16th ed.). F.A. Davis Company. ↵
    6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, August 28). Opioid overdose, CDC guideline for prescribing opioids for chronic pain. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prescribing/guideline.html. ↵

    This page titled 10.9: Antigout is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Ernstmeyer & Christman (Eds.) (OpenRN) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.

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