Why is this medication prescribed?
Febuxostat is used to treat gout. Gout is a type of arthritis in which uric acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body, builds up in the joints and causes sudden attacks of redness, swelling, pain, and heat in one or more joints. Febuxostat is in a class of medications called xanthine oxidase inhibitors. It works by decreasing the amount of uric acid that is made in the body. Febuxostat is used to prevent gout attacks, but not to treat them once they occur.
National Library of Medicine | National Institutes of Health | Department of Health and Human Services
