Adenuric tablets (Febuxostat)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Quick Facts
What Is Adenuric tablets Used For?
Adenuric contains febuxostat, which belongs to a group of medicines called xanthine oxidase inhibitors. It helps manage gout by reducing the formation of uric acid in your blood.
Primary Uses
Adenuric is used to treat long-standing high uric acid levels in the blood. High uric acid leads to crystal formation that deposits in joints, causing the pain, swelling, and tenderness known as gout. This medication helps prevent gout attacks but is not used to treat acute gout flares.
How It Works
Adenuric works by blocking an enzyme called xanthine oxidase, which reduces the formation and buildup of uric acid in your blood. This helps prevent crystal formation in your joints.
Good to know: This medicine helps control your condition but does not cure it. It's important to keep taking it even if you feel well.
Continue Reading
Sign in to access the complete medication guide including dosage, side effects, warnings, and more.
How to Take Adenuric tablets
Take Adenuric exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The usual dose is either 40mg (half a tablet) or 80mg (one whole tablet) once daily with a full glass of water.
Dosage Instructions
Starting dose is typically 40mg (half a tablet) once daily. If your blood uric acid remains high after 2 to 4 weeks, your doctor may increase the dose to 80mg (one whole tablet) once daily. To break the 80mg tablet in half, hold it between your thumbs and index fingers close to the score line and apply pressure to snap it apart. Take at the same time each day, with or without food.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If it's almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. If you remember earlier, take it as soon as possible and then return to your normal schedule. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Important: Never take a double dose to make up for a missed dose as this may increase your chance of side effects.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- gout flares
- liver function abnormalities
- diarrhea
- headaches
- nausea
- dizziness
- shortness of breath
- rash
- itching
- joint or muscle pain
- pain in extremities
- localized swelling
- fatigue
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- chest pain or discomfort
- shortness of breath or trouble breathing
- dizziness, fainting, feeling lightheaded
- rapid or irregular heartbeat
- numbness or weakness on one side of body
- slurred speech
- sudden blurry vision
- sudden severe headache
- sudden rash, itching or hives
- swelling of face, lips, tongue or other body parts
- painful red areas, large blisters and skin peeling
- yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice)
- dark urine
- severe abdominal pain
- fever
- muscle pain, tenderness or weakness
Important Warnings
There are important safety considerations before taking Adenuric, including serious heart-related warnings and conditions that may affect your treatment.
Who Should Not Take Adenuric tablets
Do not take Adenuric if you are allergic to febuxostat or any ingredients in the tablets. Do not start Adenuric if you are having an acute gout attack and are not already taking it. Not recommended for children under 18 years old.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have or have had: heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, or stroke; kidney problems; liver problems; thyroid problems; cancer or Lesch-Nyhan syndrome causing high uric acid; lactose intolerance; organ transplant; or allergic reaction to allopurinol.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. It's not known whether Adenuric may affect your developing baby or pass into breast milk.
Heart Warning: Serious heart-related side effects, including heart-related death, have been observed in patients with pre-existing serious heart conditions. Seek emergency help immediately for chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, or stroke symptoms.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Adenuric and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines you're taking.
- mercaptopurine (cancer treatment)
- azathioprine (immune system treatment)
- theophylline (asthma treatment)
- tacrolimus (immune system suppression after organ transplant)
- phenytoin (epilepsy treatment)
Alcohol & Driving
Adenuric may affect your ability to drive or operate machinery safely due to potential side effects.
Alcohol
No specific alcohol warnings are mentioned in the prescribing information. However, discuss alcohol consumption with your doctor.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Do not drive or operate machinery as Adenuric may cause drowsiness, dizziness, pins and needles, and blurred vision in some people. Wait until you know how this medicine affects you before driving.
Storage
Keep tablets in their original pack until it's time to take them. Store in a cool, dry place below 30°C, away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills. Keep out of reach of children. Take expired or unwanted medicine to any pharmacy for safe disposal.
Overdose Information
If you think you have taken too much Adenuric, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital, even if you have no symptoms of discomfort or poisoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do not start Adenuric if you are having an acute gout attack and are not already taking it. However, if you are already taking Adenuric and have a gout flare, do not stop taking the medicine. Continue taking it as prescribed.
Your doctor will check your blood uric acid levels after 2 to 4 weeks of treatment. If levels remain high, your dose may be increased. You may experience more gout flares initially, but over time they will occur less often and be less painful if you keep taking Adenuric.
Yes, it does not matter if you take Adenuric before or after food. Take it with a full glass of water at the same time each day.
Do not stop taking Adenuric if you have a gout flare. Continue taking your medicine as prescribed. Contact your doctor who may prescribe other medicines to treat the flare symptoms. You may experience more flares initially, but this will improve over time.
Yes, if you need a 40mg dose, you can break the 80mg tablet in half along the score line. Hold the tablet between your thumbs and index fingers close to the score line and apply pressure to snap it apart, or use a tablet cutter from a pharmacy.
Do not stop taking Adenuric or lower the dose without checking with your doctor first. This medicine helps control your condition but does not cure it, so it's important to keep taking it even if you feel well.
Yes, remind any doctor, dentist, or pharmacist you visit that you are taking Adenuric, especially if you are about to start any new medicine.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.