What Is Indomethacin Gout Treatment?

Indomethacin gout treatment involves treating an acute gout attack and preventing future recurrences with a prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) called indomethacin. The American Federal Drug Administration approved indomethacin for use in the United States in November 2010. For indomethacin gout treatment, the drug is typically administered orally via a 75-milligram extended release capsule. Like other NSAIDs, indomethacin can help control inflammation and reduce pain in individuals with gout.

First described in 1963 in the British Medical Journal, in general terms indomethacin is a prescription drug that halts the body’s production of prostaglandins, a substance that causes inflammation and pain. It is usually administered to relieve moderate to severe pain, tenderness, and swelling caused by various arthritic conditions. The drug is also used to treat tendinitis and bursitis, among many other similar conditions.

This medication is usually prescribed as a 75-milligram extended release capsule taken orally, but liquid and suppository forms are also available. Other dosage forms include injection, topical gel, and patches. Most forms of this drug are typically taken two to four times a day.

Gout is a form of arthritis that often affects the big toe’s base joint. The attacks of pain, joint tenderness, and redness are often sudden and severe. Indomethacin gout treatment aims to treat the immediate acute attack by controlling inflammation and pain while preventing a future recurrence.

Like all NSAIDs, indomethacin gout treatment carries risks. People who take this medication may have an increased risk of stroke or heart attack. Additional side effects include bleeding or holes in the stomach or intestine and ulcers.

Patients should tell their doctors if they or anyone in their family has or has had heart disease, stroke, or a heart attack. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes are other conditions that patients and doctors should consider before beginning indomethacin gout treatment. The risks can be especially pronounced if the patient is more than 65 years of age or has been taking an NSAID for a long period of time.

Patients undergoing an indomethacin gout treatment regimen will often be subject to regular physical examination to monitor for side effects. These examinations will look for signs of any changes in the central nervous system as well as edema. Blood pressure, blood cell count, and liver enzymes are also likely to be monitored.

In addition to indomethacin gout treatment, the condition can be targeted with colchicine, corticosteroids, and drugs that affect uric acid production. Colchicine is given to patients unable to take NSAIDs and helps reduce gout pain, but is associated with debilitating side effects like diarrhea. Corticosteriods can be taken orally or injected and control both inflammation and pain. Finally, a doctor may prescribe medication that either blocks uric acid production or increases the kidneys’ ability to remove it from the body.