If you have suffered an Uloric cardiac attack, you should be aware that the FDA recently issued a warning that a recent study showed the gout medication is linked to an increased risk of heart-related deaths.

In that study, Uloric (febuxostat) was compared to allopurinol, which is sold under the brand names Zyloprim and Aloprim.

Researchers found that patients who took Uloric had an increased risk of Uloric cardiac attack, heart-related deaths and of death from all causes. The study indicated Uloric’s serious adverse effects could include non-deadly heart attacks, non-deadly strokes, and cardiac ischemia that necessitated emergency surgical intervention.

A follow-up, post-market clinical trial of more than 6,000 gout patients recently concluded. The FDA will publish those findings once their analysis is complete.

Uloric is made by Takeda Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., which operates a subsidiary in Chicago. Takeda became the first company to launch a new gout medication in 40 years when the FDA approved Uloric in 2009.

Uloric Cardiac Attack Risks Allegedly Hidden

A former safety consultant at Takeda blew the whistle on the company in 2012, saying adverse side effects and potentially dangerous drug interactions were hidden from doctors, patients and the FDA.

The safety consultant said Takeda knew a Uloric cardiac attack was possible, as were instances of other heart problems, such as severe bleeding, kidney failure, bone marrow failure, liver failure, psychotic behavior and severe rashes. Takeda allegedly chose not to disclose these findings in an effort to hurry the drug to the market.

Among the drugs that can cause potentially fatal interactions with Uloric are methadone, warfarin, Imuran and digoxin.

With methadone, Uloric shares the same metabolizing enzyme. The combination of the two drugs enables the enzyme to remain active for an extended period of time that has led to at least one fatal overdose.

Treating Gout

Gout is actually a type of inflammatory arthritis that occurs when too much uric acid builds up in the blood. The uric acid crystallizes and settles into the joints, causing severe pain, redness and swelling. The affected joint can feel warmer than the rest of the body, leading some patients to believe they have developed infection, but it is not an infection.

Surveys show four percent of adults in the U.S. suffer from gout, but men are more apt to have gout attacks. Chronic gout can lead to joint damage and a loss of mobility.

Even though Uloric is designed to treat gout, the medication’s website says the most common side effect is a gout flare up upon initially starting the medication and “this may be due to crystals beginning to dissolve in your joints as your uric acid level goes down.”

If a patient experiences further flare ups after the initial experience, the patient is advised to speak with a doctor.

Patients who believe they have experienced a Uloric cardiac attack or any heart-related illness while taking Uloric should talk to their doctor about the drug’s risks. Those who have suffered a Uloric cardiac attack also could speak to a lawyer regarding legal options.