GOUT FAST FACT

50% of first-time attacks occur in the big toe.

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Gout Treatment Options

Through proper monitoring and treatment, patients can avoid painful episodes of gout flares and prevent long-term joint damage and disability, allowing patients to maintain their normal lifestyle.

It is important to take your medications as directed, and to know your uric acid level throughout the treatment process. Uric acid should be tested once every six months when you are on urate-lowering medications. Your doctor should give you a target uric acid level, typically 6.0 mg/dL or less, depending on your stage and other conditions.

The goals of gout treatment are to:

Ease the pain associated with acute gout attacks
Prevent future attacks
Avoid the formation of tophi and kidney stones
Reduce the risk of long-term damage to affected joints
For most patients, medication is the most effective way to fight gout and reduce pain. Work with your physician to find the right medication for you.

Gout treatments that help to relieve pain and reduce swelling

The sooner acute gout attacks are treated, the sooner the flare will break.

Colchicine

Taken orally, Colchicine may be most effective when taken within the first 12 hours of an acute attack. A common dosing schedule is two 1.2 mg tablets together, then a third tablet one hour later followed by a tablet three times per day over the next week. Occasionally, patients may have side effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps or diarrhea. Reduce to two times per day after day one.

Examples: Colcrys or generic

Injectable Glucocorticosteriods

Taken orally or injected into the affected joint or intramuscular injection, this treatment suppresses the inflammation of an acute attack. Kenalog 60 mg is a typical dose.

Examples: Medrol, Deltasone, Kenalog

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)

Taken orally, NSAIDS such as ibuprofen, naprosyn, sulindac and indocin reduce the inflammation caused by deposits of uric acid in the body. Taken at higher than usual dose when in flare.

Examples: Aleve, Advil, Celebrex, Indocin, Naprosyn

Gout treatments that lower uric acid levels and prevent future attacks

Never start or stop urate lowering therapy during a gout flare.

Allopurinol

Taken orally, Allopurinol decreases the body’s production of uric acid and is recommended for patients with a history of kidney stones or tophi.

Examples: Lopurin, Zyloprim

Febuxostat

This medication helps prevent uric acid production. It does so by blocking an enzyme that breaks down purines into uric acid.

Example: Uloric

Pegloticase

This medication breaks down uric acid to a more soluble and more easily eliminated compound.

Example: Krystexxa

Probenecid
Taken orally, this medication increases the kidneys’ ability to remove uric acid from the body. It is not recommended if there is a history of kidney stones.

Examples: Benemid, Probalan

Clinical Trials

Treatment options are also available through participation in a clinical trial. For more information about factors to consider and a list of clinical trials currently enrolling patients, click here.

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