Uloric heart risks have become the subject of recent concern in the United States medical community and patient population, after a large long term study recently concluded the gout drug could cause an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

This study found that the danger of Uloric heart risks was especially prevalent in patients with pre existing heart disease who are also most likely to suffer a fatal heart attack.

According to the study, recently published in the online version of the New England Journal of Medicine on March 12, 2018, researchers found that Uloric heart risks were prevalent in patients. The CARES study was presented at the American College of Cardiology, and showed that Uloric heart risks could include non fatal heart attacks, stroke, and arrhythmia.

The study also found that Uloric patients were more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure, compared to two other gout treatment medications. Researchers reportedly found that patients prescribed febuxostat, generic Uloric, had faced a 34 percent increased risk of cardiac death from cardiovascular disease compared to patients who were prescribed allopurinol.

When researchers analyzed other causes of the death, they adjusted their estimation to a 22 percent increased risk.  To note, the website goodrx.com noted that only approximately 7.5 percent of gout patients are prescribed Uloric, due to its expensive price.

Overview of Uloric Cardiac Risks

While potential Uloric heart risks were observed in the study, researchers are unsure why the gout treatment medication may be causing this reaction.

“The results are entirely unexpected and we don’t have a mechanistic explanation for them,” chief author Dr. William White of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine told Reuters Health in an email.

Uloric is a gout treatment medication approved by the FDA in 2009, which works by limiting the amount of uric acid in the blood. Gout often causes joint inflammation in the big toe and other areas of the body, and affects over eight million patients in the United States.

It is important to note that during initial clinical trials, Uloric cardiac risks were noted and were included on the drug’s warning label. The FDA required Takeda Pharmaceuticals to perform a follow up study to further evaluate the Uloric heart risks. This follow up study confirmed an increased risk of cardiovascular events, and that the risk of cardiac death are especially prevalent in patients with pre existing cardiac conditions.

Earlier on Nov. 15, 2017, the FDA issued two warnings that stated the federal agency would be evaluating Uloric risks and would also examine all other potential fatalities linked to Uloric.

Dr. White told Reuters Health that another study called the FAST trial is further examining the potential cardiac risks of both Uloric and allopurinol. This study is meant to evaluate Uloric heart risks in lower risk patients.

Even though Uloric heart risks can be potentially fatal to patients, Takeda Pharmaceuticals may have failed to properly warn patients. The FDA stated that medical professionals should consider Uloric heart risks before prescribing the gout medication, and that concerned patients should talk to their physician.