A patient with gout who has increasingly frequent acute gouty attacks will begin receiving allopurinol and colchicine. Which statement will the provider include when teaching the patient about this drug regimen?

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Allopurinol is a medication used to prevent gout attacks by reducing uric acid production, while colchicine is used to treat acute gout attacks and prevent flare-ups, especially when starting allopurinol therapy. Colchicine is often used temporarily alongside allopurinol at the beginning of treatment to prevent the acute gout attacks that can occur when uric acid levels first begin to decrease. Over time, as allopurinol effectively reduces uric acid levels and stabilizes them, the need for colchicine diminishes, and it can be discontinued.

A Patient with Gout Who Has Increasingly Frequent Acute Gouty