(RxWiki News) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new combination medication to treat gout.
This new approval is called Duzallo, a fixed-dose combination of lesinurad and allopurinol. The FDA approved it to lower uric acid levels in the blood of people with gout when allopurinol alone has not been effective.
Duzallo is the first and only treatment that addresses both mechanisms of hyperuricemia (overproduction and underexcretion of serum uric acid) in gout with one tablet.
This medication is to be taken once a day in the morning with food and water. Patients are advised to drink two liters of fluids each day to avoid dehydration.
Common side effects of Duzallo may include headache, flu, heartburn and skin rash. This medication may also cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how it affects you.
When you first start taking Duzallo, your gout may flare up. However, you should not stop taking this medication without your health care provider's approval.
Those with severe kidney problems should not take Duzallo.
Duzallo is manufactured by Ironwood Pharmaceuticals and is expected to be commercially available early in the fourth quarter of this year.
Speak with your health care provider about the best treatment for your gout.
Written By Anyssa Garza, PharmD, BCMAS
