What is the most important information I should know about febuxostat?
You should not use febuxostat if you also use azathioprine or mercaptopurine.
What is febuxostat?
Febuxostat reduces the production of uric acid in your body. A build-up of uric acid can cause gout symptoms.
Febuxostat is used to keep uric acid levels from getting to high in people with gout.
Febuxostat may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking febuxostat?
You should not use febuxostat if you are allergic to it, or if you also use:
- azathioprine; or
- mercaptopurine.
To make sure febuxostat is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- kidney disease;
- liver disease;
- heart disease;
- a heart attack or stroke;
- cancer;
- Lesch-Nyhan syndrome; or
- an organ transplant (kidney, liver, lung, heart).
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It is not known whether febuxostat passes into breast milk or if it could affect the nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
How should I take febuxostat?
Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
You may take febuxostat with or without food. Febuxostat may be taken with an antacid if needed.
You may have an increase in gout symptoms (flares) when you first start taking febuxostat. Your doctor may prescribe other medications for you to use during the first 6 months of treatment with febuxostat.
For best results, keep using your medications as directed. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 6 months, or if they get worse.
You will need frequent blood tests to check your liver function.
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
Read all patient information, medication guides, and instruction sheets provided to you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while taking febuxostat?
Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.
What are the possible side effects of febuxostat?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning in your eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling).
Seek medical treatment if you have a serious drug reaction that can affect many parts of your body. Symptoms may include: skin rash, fever, swollen glands, flu-like symptoms, muscle aches, severe weakness, unusual bruising, or yellowing of your skin or eyes. This reaction may occur several weeks after you began using febuxostat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
-
heart attack symptoms --chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, nausea, sweating;
-
liver problems --stomach pain (upper right side), unusual tiredness, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
-
signs of a stroke --sudden numbness or weakness (especially on one side of the body), sudden severe headache, slurred speech, problems with vision or balance.
Common side effects may include:
- gout flares, joint pain;
- nausea;
- mild rash; or
- abnormal liver function tests.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect febuxostat?
Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:
This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with febuxostat, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about febuxostat.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 4.01. Revision date: 11/22/2017.
