Key takeaways
Febuxostat (Uloric) and allopurinol (Zyloprim) are both medications used to treat gout by lowering uric acid levels in the body. But they have several differences. Febuxostat is typically used when allopurinol isn't an option or hasn't worked well enough. Allopurinol is a first-choice treatment for gout and can also prevent kidney stones and complications from certain cancer treatments, while febuxostat is mainly for gout. Febuxostat is taken once a day and is safe for people with kidney problems, but it has a higher risk of heart-related deaths. Allopurinol can be taken once a day or split into smaller doses and may cause kidney stones if you don't drink enough fluids. Both medications can cause more gout attacks when you first start taking them, but febuxostat is less likely to cause kidney stones compared to allopurinol. Allopurinol and febuxostat are both available as a lower-cost generics.
