GP and surgeon, Dr Shane Charles (MBBS, MRCS, PgDip SEM) provides a simple explanation of the medication below:

'Allopurinol is a medication used to prevent or treat high uric acid levels in the body and in used in managing and preventing gout attacks. '.

If you think Allopurinol is a treatment that can help you, start an online consultation now for a registered prescriber to review. If treatment is deemed suitable, they can prescribe it, and we can deliver it to you from the comfort of your own home with a range of convenient delivery and payment options for you to choose from. If you have any questions about a medication, you should always consult your doctor with any questions prior to starting treatment, to ensure that it is safe and suitable for you.

You can safely buy it here at UK Meds. You will first need to have an online consultation with a pharmacist independent prescriber before your order will be supplied. The online consultation will ensure that Allopurinol is the right medication for your medical condition.

Yes, you can get Allopurinol on a subscription from UK Meds. By getting your medication on a subscription you can rest assured that you will get it when you need it, whilst also saving money. It’s a win-win!

Allopurinol is a medicine used to lower levels of uric acid in your blood (NHS, 2023). Too much uric acid can build up and produce miniature sharp crystals to form around your joints, causing gout; this is extremely painful (NHS Inform, 2023).

It is also known by the brand names Zyloric and Uricto.

Summary of Allopurinol

For more information on the prescription medication patients should refer to the Allopurinol patient information leaflet.

Allopurinol works by actively lowering the levels of uric acid in your blood. Allopurinol comes as 100mg and 300mg tablets and is only available on prescription (NHS, 2023).

Swallow the allopurinol tablets with water, ideally after food. You'll usually take it once a day, but if you're on a high dose, your doctor may advise you to split the dose and take it twice a day. (NHS, 2023)

If your doctor has recommended you take allopurinol with lots of fluid, aim to consume at least 2 to 3 litres of fluids daily (Michael Stewart - BPharm, MRPharmS, 2021).

You can take Allopurinol at any time of the day, however, try to take your doses at the same time of day each day.

Your doctor or healthcare provider can advise you on the most appropriate way to take Allopurinol to suit your individual needs.

Video: How to take Allopurinol

In the below video Dr O'Donovan (UK GMC number: 7436647) explains how a patient would typically take Allopurinol tablets to treat gout:

Please be aware that the video above is only for educational purposes and is not intended for use as a substitute for seeking professional medical advice from your own doctor or trusted healthcare professional.

Allopurinol Reviews

See what gout patients have to say about their experiences with the medication by taking a look at the allopurinol user reviews and experiences available at Drugs.com and Web MD.

The NHS (2023) advises caution if considering Allopurinol as a treatment if you are currently taking antibiotics, aspirin, medicines used for reducing immune response or diuretics tablets that make you pee more (e.g. furosemide) or ACE inhibitors (e.g. enalapril or ramipril).

Your doctor or healthcare provider will be able to advise you on what the best and safest course of treatment for your health condition is.

No, allopurinol is considered as a very safe long term treatment and it is unlikely to lead to any long-term side effects (NHS, 2023).

Whilst it is not always the case, allopurinol can have a risk of precipitating acute attacks of gout (NICE, 2023). This is because some of the urate crystals in the blood can dislodge into the joint as they become smaller, triggering the gout attack (Versus Arthritis, 2024). It is important to continue taking Allopurinol if you do experience an attack of gout (NHS West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group, 2018). You should always consult your doctor before starting treatment with Allopurinol to ensure that it is safe for your needs.

Yes, colchicine can be taken with allopurinol for prophylaxis of gout flares during urate-lowering treatment (NICE, 2023). Your doctor or healthcare provider can advise on which medications are the most suitable treatment for your health condition which is why it is important to consult them prior to starting any form of treatment.

• NHS - Allopurinol
• Drugs.com - Allopurinol
• Versus Arthritis - Allopurinol
• WebMD - Allopurinol Oral
• BNF - Allopurinol
• Mayo Clinic - Allopurinol Oral Route
• Healthline - Allopurinol Oral Tablet
• GOSH NHS - Allopurinol
• DrugBank - Allopurinol