A popular gout medication, Uloric, has been associated with a dangerous and life-threatening condition known as cardiac ischemia. In fact, Uloric cardiac ischemia has been the focus of a recent clinical trial comparing this drug with another popular gout medication.

What is Gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis that is developed as a result of the build up of uric acid crystals that settle in a patient’s joints. These uric acid crystals can develop because of the types of food eaten by the individual.

When a person develops gout, symptoms may include a quick onset of pain in the joint accompanied by swelling, warmth, reddish discoloration and tenderness. Often, people develop gout in the lower extremities, including the knee, the ankles and big toe as well as in the wrists and hands.

Gout pain can be so severe that light touch may extremely painful for the patient. It is estimated that four percent of Americans (8.3 million) suffer from gout. It is more common in men and in older people.

Uloric Approved to Treat Gout

A medication that is often prescribe to treat gout is Uloric. Uloric, generically known as febuxostat, was first approved in 2009 for the treatment of gout. It is manufactured by Chicago area-based Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

However, over time, it was reported that Uloric users may experience additional cardiac problems including heart-related death, non-fatal heart attack, non-fatal stroke and Uloric cardiac ischemia.

What is Uloric Cardiac Ischemia?

Uloric cardiac ischemia, or heart-related ischemia caused by the use of febuxostat is a condition that can be life threatening. Myocardial ischemia is when the blood flow to the heart is reduced. This may result in damage to the heart muscle, reduction of the heart’s ability to pump blood or receive oxygen, partial or complete blockage of an important artery, abnormal heart rhythms and even heart attack.

Signs of Uloric cardiac ischemia include sweating, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath during physical exertion, pain in the arm or shoulder, rapid heartbeat and neck and jaw pain.

A safety trial conducted by Chicago-based drug maker, Takeda, looked at the incidence of heart problems in both febuxostat users and allopurinol users. Allopurinol is a different gout medication. This trial, ordered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009, found that when Uloric users were compared to allopurinol users, the incidence of heart problems, including Uloric cardiac ischemia, were greater in Uloric patients.

Data showed that Uloric did not necessarily cause heart-related deaths, however, when the data was reviewed separately, febuxostat (Uloric) was connected with more deaths from all causes, as well as a higher risk of death caused by cardiovascular problems.

Based on this information, the FDA has issued a warning about the increased risk of heart-related death for Uloric users.

If you or someone you love has taken Uloric and has developed Uloric cardiac ischemia or other dangerous cardiovascular problems, you may benefit from speaking with an experienced attorney. While monetary compensation cannot take away the pain and suffering of cardiovascular disease or bring a loved on back to life, it may help to alleviate the burden of medical costs and lost wages.