According to a drug safety report released by the FDA on Feb. 21, 2019, gout medication Uloric may increase the risk of heart-related conditions and death. Side effects of Uloric may also include chest pain, numbness or weakness, or liver problems.

What is Uloric?

Uloric
is a type of drug known as a xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitor. The drug is meant to lower the levels of uric acid in the blood of adult patients with gout. Uloric is meant for patients for whom allopurinol, another common gout medication, has not worked as an effective gout treatment option.

Uloric was approved by the FDA in 2009 as one of only a few gout treatment options available for patients.

What is Gout?

Gout is a common form of arthritis characterized by redness and tenderness in the joints, swelling, and intense and sudden pain. Gout most often affects the large joint in the big toe, but may affect any joint. It also frequently occurs in fingers, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. The condition is chronic and affects around 8 million Americans each year.

Symptoms of gout frequently occur at night, often without warning. Intense joint pain commonly occurs, lasting for several hours before subsiding. However, the affected area may continue to suffer pain or discomfort for hours or days after the flare up.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition is caused by urate crystal accumulation in the affected joint, caused by a high level of uric acid in the blood. The kidneys are supposed to filter out uric acid, but sometimes the body produces too much, or the kidneys are unable to adequately process the acid. This leads to a build-up of uric acid in the blood, and the formation of urate crystals.

Side Effects of Uloric

Now, the FDA is requiring a boxed warning on the drug’s label to alert patients to an increased risk of death from heart-related conditions and other causes.

According to the prescribing and patient information for Uloric, the gout medication may cause patients to experience serious side effects, including cardiovascular issues. These issues may be serious enough to result in lasting injuries or death, and patients are encouraged to seek medical attention if they experience side effects related to possible cardiovascular problems. These symptoms may include chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid or regular heartbeat, or sudden difficulty talking.

Other side effects of Uloric may include:

• Joint pain
• Nausea
• Gout flares
• Numbness or weakness on one side of your body
• Dizziness
• Liver problems, sometimes resulting in jaundice
• Sudden and severe headache
• Skin and allergic reactions including rash
• Red or painful skin
• Skin blisters or sores
• Swollen throat or tongue
• Flu-like symptoms

Uloric Investigations and Lawsuits

If you or a loved one suffer from gout and have taken Uloric to control the condition, you may qualify to join a free Uloric lawsuit investigation and pursue compensation for your suffering and injuries.