The Side Effects of Gout Medications

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Colchicine

Actually, it is an alkaloid derivative from the plant called ‘colchicum autumnale’. In medical communities, it is used as a pain killer and has been used for gout treatment in many years.

It can be used to help relieve pain of gout. As noted before, it can be an alternative option if sufferers are not able to take NSAIDs.

The benefits, the side effects are relatively intolerable. These include mild diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. In most cases, the effectiveness of colchicine is offset.

Corticosteroids

Most of corticosteroids are synthetic forms of natural hormone found in the adrenal glands called cortisone. Prednisone is popular corticosteroid – it is sold with several different brands.

Corticosteroids are a kind of anti-inflammatory medicine. It can help treat inflammation and pain in gouty arthritis. They can be taken orally or directly injected to the affected joint.

Although corticosteroid may work more powerful in treating gout pain and inflammation, but it could carry more serious side effects.

It seems that the dose of the medicine may play a key role in affecting the risk of side effects. Therefore, corticosteroids are usually prescribed at low doses, as low as possible.

These side effects include

  1. Osteoporosis (thinning bones). If you and your doctor do concern about this issue, you may be asked to take adequate calcium supplements and avoid other risk factors of osteoporosis (such as smoking and abusing alcohol).
  2. The use of corticosteroids in long term may contribute to the decreased function of immune system in fighting against infection.
  3. Others possible side effects are poor healing when you get wound, hypertension, weight gain, or mood changes.

Xanthine oxidase inhibitors

They are used to help inhibit the production of uric acid. As noted before, high uric acid levels can worsen gouty arthritis! The kind of xanthine oxidase inhibitor carries different possible side effects. But in general, these include nausea, rash, low blood counts, and decreased function of the liver.

Probalan (probenecid)

Another way to reduce the amount of uric acid is by improving the function of the kidneys. Yap, normally excess uric acids are filtered by the kidneys then go away with the urine. Therefore, it’s important to keep the kidney’s function optimal if you have gout.

If your doctor thinks that your kidneys may work poorly, probenecid may be prescribed. It can help boost the function of your kidneys. The possible side effects include stomach pain and rash. And since there will be increased amount of uric acid in the urine, this medicine may also carry the risk of kidney stones.

Citations /references:

  1. http://www.hss.edu/conditions_guidelines-reduce-side-effects-nsaids.asp
  2. http://www.hss.edu/conditions_steroid-side-effects-how-to-reduce-corticosteroid-side-effects.asp
  3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gout/basics/treatment/con-20019400

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