Medication Choices
Medication treatment for gout usually involves some combination of:
Short-term treatment, using medicines that relieve pain and reduce inflammation during an acute attack or prevent a recurrence of an acute attack. These medicines may include:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), except for aspirin, which should never be used to relieve pain during a gout attack. Aspirin may change uric acid levels in the blood and may make the attack worse.
Colchicine, which may also be used for long-term treatment.
Corticosteroids, which may be given in pills or by a shot for cases of gout that do not respond to NSAIDs or colchicines. They may also be given to people who cannot take NSAIDs for other reasons, such as those with chronic kidney failure, heart failure, gastrointestinal bleeding or those using a blood-thinner, such as warfarin.
Long-term treatment, using medicines to lower uric acid levels in the blood, which can reduce the frequency and severity of gout attacks in the future. This may include:
Uricosuric agents, to increase elimination of uric acid by the kidneys.
Allopurinol or a newer medicine called febuxostat, to decrease production of uric acid by the body.
Colchicine, to prevent flare-ups during the first months that you are taking uric acid-lowering medicines
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