Uloric Side Effects Center

Last updated on RxList: 1/21/2022
Uloric Side Effects Center

Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

What Is Uloric?

Uloric (febuxostat) is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor used to treat excess uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia) in patients with gout.

What Are Side Effects of Uloric?

Side effects of Uloric include:

  • joint pain/swelling/stiffness,
  • nausea,
  • skin rash, and
  • dizziness.

Serious side effects of Uloric include:

Dosage for Uloric

Uloric (febuxostat) is available in tablets in strengths of 40 or 80 mg. Starting dosage is usually 40mg once daily.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Uloric?

Uloric may interact with theophylline, azathioprine, or mercaptopurine. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Uloric During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Uloric; it is unknown if Uloric will harm a fetus. It is unknown if Uloric passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding. Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients,18 years of age or less have not been done.

Additional Information

Our Uloric Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

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.

QUESTION

Gout is a form of arthritis. See Answer
Uloric Consumer Information

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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.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

  • a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
  • heart attack symptoms--chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, fast heartbeats, shortness of breath;
  • 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
  • liver problems.

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.

SLIDESHOW

Gout Attack Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and Diet See Slideshow
Uloric Professional Information

SIDE EFFECTS

The following serious adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the prescribing information:

  • Cardiovascular Death [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Hepatic Effects [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Serious Skin Reactions [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]

Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

In Phase 2 and 3 clinical studies, a total of 2757 patients with hyperuricemia and gout were treated with ULORIC 40 mg or 80 mg daily. For ULORIC 40 mg, 559 patients were treated for ≥6 months. For ULORIC 80 mg, 1377 patients were treated for ≥6 months, 674 patients were treated for ≥1 year and 515 patients were treated for ≥2 years. In the CARES study, a total of 3098 patients were treated with ULORIC 40 mg or 80 mg daily; of these, 2155 patients were treated for ≥1 year and 1539 were treated for ≥2 years [see Clinical Studies].

Most Common Adverse Reactions

In three randomized, controlled clinical studies (Studies 1, 2 and 3), which were six to 12 months in duration, the following adverse reactions were reported by the treating physician as related to study drug. Table 1 summarizes adverse reactions reported at a rate of at least 1% in ULORIC treatment groups and at least 0.5% greater than placebo.

Table 1: Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥1% of Patients Treated with ULORIC and at Least 0.5% Greater than Seen in Patients Receiving Placebo in Controlled Studies

Adverse Reactions Placebo ULORIC allopurinol*
(N=134) 40 mg daily
(N=757)
80 mg daily
(N=1279)
(N=1277)
Liver Function Abnormalities 0.7% 6.6% 4.6% 4.2%
Nausea 0.7% 1.1% 1.3% 0.8%
Arthralgia 0% 1.1% 0.7% 0.7%
Rash 0.7% 0.5% 1.6% 1.6%
* Of the patients who received allopurinol, 10 received 100 mg, 145 received 200 mg, and 1122 received 300 mg, based on level of renal impairment.

The most common adverse reaction leading to discontinuation from therapy was liver function abnormalities in 1.8% of ULORIC 40 mg, 1.2% of ULORIC 80 mg, and in 0.9% of patients treated with allopurinol.

In addition to the adverse reactions presented in Table 1, dizziness was reported in more than 1% of patients treated with ULORIC although not at a rate more than 0.5% greater than placebo.

In the CARES study, liver function abnormalities and diarrhea were reported in more than 1% of patients treated with ULORIC, although not at a rate more than 0.5% greater than allopurinol.

Less Common Adverse Reactions

In clinical studies the following adverse reactions occurred in less than 1% of patients and in more than one subject treated with doses ranging from 40 mg to 240 mg of ULORIC. This list also includes adverse reactions (less than 1% of patients) associated with organ systems from Warnings and Precautions.

Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders: anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, leukocytosis/leukopenia, neutropenia, pancytopenia, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia.

Cardiac Disorders: angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation/flutter, cardiac murmur, ECG abnormal, palpitations, sinus bradycardia, tachycardia.

Ear and Labyrinth Disorders: deafness, tinnitus, vertigo.

Eye Disorders: vision blurred.

Gastrointestinal Disorders: abdominal distention, abdominal pain, constipation, dry mouth, dyspepsia, flatulence, frequent stools, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastrointestinal discomfort, gingival pain, haematemesis, hyperchlorhydria, hematochezia, mouth ulceration, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, vomiting.

General Disorders and Administration Site Conditions: asthenia, chest pain/discomfort, edema, fatigue, feeling abnormal, gait disturbance, influenza-like symptoms, mass, pain, thirst.

Hepatobiliary Disorders: cholelithiasis/cholecystitis, hepatic steatosis, hepatitis, hepatomegaly.

Immune System Disorder: hypersensitivity.

Infections and Infestations: herpes zoster.

Procedural Complications: contusion.

Metabolism and Nutrition Disorders: anorexia, appetite decreased/increased, dehydration, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypokalemia, weight decreased/increased.

Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: arthritis, joint stiffness, joint swelling, muscle spasms/twitching/tightness/weakness, musculoskeletal pain/stiffness, myalgia.

Nervous System Disorders: altered taste, balance disorder, cerebrovascular accident, Guillain-Barré syndrome, headache, hemiparesis, hypoesthesia, hyposmia, lacunar infarction, lethargy, mental impairment, migraine, paresthesia, somnolence, transient ischemic attack, tremor.

Psychiatric Disorders: agitation, anxiety, depression, insomnia, irritability, libido decreased, nervousness, panic attack, personality change.

Renal and Urinary Disorders: hematuria, nephrolithiasis, pollakiuria, proteinuria, renal failure, renal insufficiency, urgency, incontinence.

Reproductive System and Breast Changes: breast pain, erectile dysfunction, gynecomastia.

Respiratory, Thoracic and Mediastinal Disorders: bronchitis, cough, dyspnea, epistaxis, nasal dryness, paranasal sinus hypersecretion, pharyngeal edema, respiratory tract congestion, sneezing, throat irritation, upper respiratory tract infection.

Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: alopecia, angio edema, dermatitis, dermographism, ecchymosis, eczema, hair color changes, hair growth abnormal, hyperhidrosis, peeling skin, petechiae, photosensitivity, pruritus, purpura, skin discoloration/altered pigmentation, skin lesion, skin odor abnormal, urticaria.

Vascular Disorders: flushing, hot flush, hypertension, hypotension.

Laboratory Parameters: activated partial thromboplastin time prolonged, creatine increased, bicarbonate decreased, sodium increased, EEG abnormal, glucose increased, cholesterol increased, triglycerides increased, amylase increased, potassium increased, TSH increased, platelet count decreased, hematocrit decreased, hemoglobin decreased, MCV increased, RBC decreased, creatinine increased, blood urea increased, BUN/creatinine ratio increased, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) increased, alkaline phosphatase increased, LDH increased, PSA increased, urine output increased/decreased, lymphocyte count decreased, neutrophil count decreased, WBC increased/decreased, coagulation test abnormal, low density lipoprotein (LDL) increased, prothrombin time prolonged, urinary casts, urine positive for white blood cells and protein.

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of ULORIC. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders: agranulocytosis, eosinophilia.

Hepatobiliary Disorders: hepatic failure (some fatal), jaundice, serious cases of abnormal liver function test results, liver disorder.

Immune System Disorders: anaphylaxis, anaphylactic reaction.

Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: rhabdomyolysis.

Psychiatric Disorders: psychotic behavior including aggressive thoughts.

Renal and Urinary Disorders: tubulointerstitial nephritis.

Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: generalized rash, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, hypersensitivity skin reactions, erythema multiforme, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, toxic epidermal necrolysis.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Xanthine Oxidase Substrate Drugs

ULORIC is an XO inhibitor. Based on a drug interaction study in healthy patients, febuxostat altered the metabolism of theophylline (a substrate of XO) in humans [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. Therefore, use with caution when coadministering ULORIC with theophylline.

Drug interaction studies of ULORIC with other drugs that are metabolized by XO (e.g., mercaptopurine and azathioprine) have not been conducted. Inhibition of XO by ULORIC may cause increased plasma concentrations of these drugs leading to toxicity [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. ULORIC is contraindicated in patients being treated with azathioprine or mercaptopurine [see CONTRAINDICATIONS].

Cytotoxic Chemotherapy Drugs

Drug interaction studies of ULORIC with cytotoxic chemotherapy have not been conducted. No data are available regarding the safety of ULORIC during cytotoxic chemotherapy.

In Vivo Drug Interaction Studies

Based on drug interaction studies in healthy patients, ULORIC does not have clinically significant interactions with colchicine, naproxen, indomethacin, hydrochlorothiazide, warfarin or desipramine [see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY]. Therefore, ULORIC may be used concomitantly with these medications.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Uloric (Febuxostat)

© Uloric Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Uloric Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.

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