Drug Interactions With Febuxostat

Certain medications may cause potentially serious febuxostat drug interactions. When medications such as chemotherapy medications, mercaptopurine, and theophylline are taken with febuxostat, it can increase your risk of developing serious side effects. Febuxostat can also alter the amounts of certain medications in your blood. To reduce the risk of drug interactions, make sure to tell your healthcare provider about any other medicines you are taking.

Febuxostat Interactions: An Overview

Febuxostat (Uloric®) can potentially interact with a number of other medications. Some of the medicines that may lead to drug interactions with febuxostat include (but are not limited to):
 
  • Azathioprine (Azasan®, Imuran®)
  • Chemotherapy medications
  • Mercaptopurine (Purinethol®)
  • Theophylline (Uniphyl®, Theocron®, TheoCap®, Theo-24®, Elixophyllin®).
     

Drug Interactions With Febuxostat Explained

The following sections explain in detail the potentially negative interactions that can occur when febuxostat is combined with any of the drugs listed above.
 
Azathioprine
Febuxostat could substantially increase the level of azathioprine in your blood, increasing the risk of side effects of azathioprine. These medications should not be taken together.
 
Chemotherapy
It is not known if it is safe to take febuxostat while you are undergoing chemotherapy treatments. It is possible that serious problems could occur. If your healthcare provider recommends that you take febuxostat while receiving chemotherapy, you may need to be monitored more closely.
(Drug Interactions With Febuxostat Continued: Page 2)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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