Patient/caregiver was educated on the precautions to be observed while taking allopurinol as follows:
- As alcohol can increase the risk for liver damage and toxicity, when taken with allopurinol, avoid drinking alcohol with this medication. Also, the risk for dizziness can get complemented, when alcohol is taken along with allopurinol. The therapeutic effect of allopurinol can be compromised, especially with beer, due to the high amounts of purines in the beer, thus leading to increased production of uric acid and contributing to episodes of gout.
- Your physician could change the dose of allopurinol, based on the lab results, relief obtained from symptoms of gout, or side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, as scheduled. Be accommodative to the plan of frequent dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- This medication can be slow to act and could take time to adjust to your blood levels and produce the desired effect. Do not discontinue taking allopurinol without consulting your doctor, even if you fail to see the benefit of the medication. Discontinuing the medication abruptly, without physician recommendation, can lead to recurrence of symptoms.
- If a dose is missed, it should be taken at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, the missed dose can be skipped. Compensating for the missed dose by taking an extra dose can pose serious risk for toxicity and side-effects.
