Allopurinol Intravenous

In the U.S.

• Aloprim

Available Dosage Forms:

• Powder for Solution

Therapeutic Class: Antigout

Pharmacologic Class: Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For allopurinol, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to allopurinol or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of allopurinol injection in children.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of allopurinol injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving allopurinol injection.

Pregnancy

Breast Feeding

Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving allopurinol, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using allopurinol with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Didanosine

Using allopurinol with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Azathioprine
• Captopril
• Cyclophosphamide
• Enalapril
• Enalaprilat
• Fluorouracil
• Mercaptopurine
• Pegloticase
• Tegafur

Using allopurinol with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Cyclosporine
• Phenprocoumon
• Vidarabine
• Warfarin

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of allopurinol. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Bone marrow problems or
• Liver disease—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Kidney disease—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you or your child allopurinol in a hospital. allopurinol is given through a needle placed in one of your veins.

Drink plenty of liquids while you are receiving allopurinol to help prevent kidney stones. Check with your doctor about the amount of liquid you or your child should drink each day.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Agitation
• coma
• confusion
• decreased urine output
• depression
• dizziness
• headache
• hostility
• irritability
• lethargy
• muscle twitching
• nausea
• rapid weight gain
• seizures
• stupor
• swelling of the face, ankles, or hands
• unusual tiredness or weakness

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• black, tarry stools
• bladder pain
• bleeding gums
• blood in the urine or stools
• blurred vision
• changes in skin color
• chest pain
• chills
• clay-colored stools
• cloudy urine
• cough or hoarseness
• coughing up blood
• dark urine
• difficult, burning, or painful urination
• difficulty with breathing or swallowing
• difficulty with speaking
• dilated neck veins
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• double vision
• enlarged abdomen or stomach
• extreme fatigue
• fainting
• fast or slow heartbeat
• feeling of warmth
• fever
• frequent urge to urinate
• inability to move the arms, legs, or facial muscles
• inability to speak
• increased menstrual flow or vaginal bleeding
• increased sweating
• irregular breathing
• irregular heartbeat
• itching
• joint pain, stiffness, or swelling
• lightheadedness
• loosening of the fingernails
• loss of appetite
• loss of strength or energy
• lower back or side pain
• muscle pain or weakness
• nosebleeds
• numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the hands or feet
• pain
• pain, tenderness, or swelling of the foot or leg
• paralysis
• pinpoint red spots on the skin
• prolonged bleeding from cuts
• rapid, shallow breathing
• rash
• red or black, tarry stools
• red or dark brown urine
• redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
• shortness of breath
• slow speech
• sore throat
• sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
• sudden shortness of breath or troubled breathing
• sweating
• swelling of the fingers, feet, or lower legs
• swollen glands
• tightness in the chest
• troubled breathing
• unpleasant breath odor
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual weak feeling
• vomiting of blood
• weight gain
• wheezing
• yellow eyes or skin

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Diarrhea
• drowsiness
• indigestion
• stomach pain
• unusual hair loss

• Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site
• body aches or pain
• congestion
• cracked lips
• difficulty with moving
• hair loss or thinning of the hair
• hives or welts
• itching, pain, redness, swelling, tenderness, or warmth on the skin
• muscle stiffness
• redness of the skin
• runny nose
• voice changes

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Consult your pharmacist.

Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.