Febutaz 40: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects
Also known as: Febutaz, Febutaz 40 mg, Febutaz 40 tablet, Febuxostat 40 mg
Febutaz 40 is a prescription tablet containing 40 mg of febuxostat, used for the long-term lowering of uric acid in adults with gout. It belongs to a group called xanthine oxidase inhibitors. The label carries a boxed warning about a higher risk of death from heart and blood vessel disease in people with existing heart disease, so doctors usually consider other medicines first. It should only be started or stopped on a doctor's advice.
- Active ingredient
- Febuxostat 40 mg
- Type of medicine
- Xanthine oxidase inhibitors
- Used for
- Gout
- Starts working in
- Uric acid falls within days to weeks, but gout attacks can still happen in the first months
- Effect lasts
- It is taken every day as a long-term preventive medicine; follow the label or your doctor's advice
- With or without food
- Can be taken with or without food; follow the label or your doctor's advice
- Alcohol
- Alcohol can trigger gout attacks; ask your doctor
- Pregnancy
- Not enough is known; tell your doctor if you are or may be pregnant
- Habit-forming
- No
- Made by
- VERIFY on pack
Pharmacist review in progress. This page is based on the sources listed below and is being checked by our registered pharmacist.
On this page
- What is Febutaz 40 used for?
- How does Febutaz 40 work?
- How to take Febutaz 40
- Side effects of Febutaz 40
- Who should be careful
- Medicines and things that interact with Febutaz 40
- If someone takes too much
- Storage
- Regulatory status in India
- Other brands with the same medicine
- Other strengths and forms
- Common questions
What is Febutaz 40 used for?
Febutaz 40 is a prescription medicine. It is used, on a doctor's advice, for long-term control of high uric acid in adults with gout.
- Long-term lowering of uric acid in adults with gout, usually when another uric acid-lowering medicine such as allopurinol has not worked well enough or cannot be used
- It is not meant for high uric acid that causes no symptoms, and it does not relieve the pain of a gout attack
How does Febutaz 40 work?
Uric acid builds up in the blood when the body makes too much of it, and sharp crystals can then form in joints and cause gout. Febuxostat blocks an enzyme called xanthine oxidase, which the body needs to make uric acid, so the level of uric acid in the blood falls.
What happens in your body after you take it
You swallow the tablet
The tablet dissolves in the gut and febuxostat is absorbed into the blood. It can be taken with or without food.
It travels in the blood
Febuxostat is carried around the body attached to blood proteins and reaches the liver and other tissues where uric acid is made.
It blocks the xanthine oxidase enzyme
This enzyme is the last step in making uric acid. Febuxostat attaches to it and stops it working.
Uric acid levels fall
With less uric acid made, the level in the blood falls and crystals in the joints can slowly dissolve, so attacks become less frequent over months.
The body clears it
Febuxostat is broken down mainly by the liver and removed in the urine and stool. Its half-life is about 5 to 8 hours, and it is taken regularly to keep uric acid down.
How to take Febutaz 40
Take Febutaz 40 exactly as your doctor has prescribed or as printed on the pack. Your doctor decides the dose and how long you need it.
- It is usually taken once a day, at about the same time each day.
- It can be taken with or without food. Follow the label or your doctor's advice.
- Gout attacks often increase in the first months. Do not stop on your own; your doctor may give another medicine to help prevent attacks.
- If you miss a dose, take it when you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Do not take two doses together.
- Your doctor may ask for blood tests, including uric acid and liver tests, from time to time.
Side effects of Febutaz 40
Most people take febuxostat without serious problems. Some side effects are common and mild, but a few need medical help.
Uncommon or mild
- Gout attacks, especially in the first months
- Abnormal liver blood tests
- Nausea or diarrhoea
- Headache
- Skin rash
- Swelling of the legs or feet
Rare but serious: get medical help
- Chest pain, breathlessness, weakness on one side of the body, trouble speaking or sudden severe headache (possible heart attack or stroke). Call 112 or get emergency help immediately
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing (a severe allergic reaction). Get medical help immediately
- A widespread skin rash with blisters, peeling or fever. Stop the medicine and get medical help immediately
- Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, severe tiredness or stomach pain (possible liver problems)
Who should be careful
Some people need to check with a doctor before taking Febutaz 40, or need extra care while taking it.
When the label says not to use it
- Allergy to febuxostat or any ingredient of the tablet
- Taking azathioprine or mercaptopurine
- Boxed warning: in a large study of people with gout and existing heart disease, febuxostat was linked to a higher risk of death from heart and blood vessel causes than allopurinol. Tell your doctor if you have had a heart attack, stroke, angina or heart failure
- Liver disease: liver failure has been reported; your doctor may check liver tests before and during treatment
- Azathioprine or mercaptopurine: it must not be taken together with these medicines
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: not enough is known; ask your doctor
- A past serious allergic or skin reaction to febuxostat
- Not for high uric acid that causes no symptoms
- Surgery or dental work: tell the doctor or dentist that you take it
Medicines and things that interact with Febutaz 40
Febutaz 40 can change how other medicines work. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about everything you take, including herbal remedies and medicines bought over the counter.
- Azathioprine and mercaptopurine: must not be taken with febuxostat, because their levels in the body can rise to harmful amounts
- Theophylline and other medicines processed by the same enzyme: ask your doctor
- NSAID painkillers or colchicine: doctors sometimes prescribe them for a few months to prevent gout attacks at the start; take them only as directed
- Alcohol: can trigger gout attacks
If someone takes too much
Taking one extra tablet by mistake is unlikely to be serious, but if someone has taken much more than prescribed, call 112 or go to the nearest hospital and take the medicine pack with you.
Storage
Store below 30 C in a dry place, protected from light and moisture, in the original strip, and out of the reach of children. Do not use after the expiry date. Check the pack for the exact storage instructions.
Regulatory status in India
Approved for sale in India as a prescription medicine. Single-ingredient febuxostat is not known to be on the CDSCO list of medicines banned under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Febutaz 40 contains febuxostat only.
Other brands with the same medicine
Febuxostat 40 mg tablets are sold under other brand names and as generic medicines. They contain the same medicine; check the label for the strength. Febuxostat is also made in other strengths, so do not switch products without asking your doctor.
Other strengths and forms
Febuxostat is sold in other strengths. The strength is printed on the pack and is not the same across products, so check the label of the one you have.
Common questions
Is Febutaz 40 a prescription medicine?
Yes. Febuxostat is a prescription medicine in India. It should be taken only if a doctor has prescribed it, and it should not be started, stopped or changed without the doctor's advice. Keep taking it as directed even when you have no pain.
Does Febutaz 40 affect the heart?
The label carries a boxed warning: in a large study of people with gout and existing heart disease, febuxostat was linked to a higher risk of death from heart and blood vessel causes than allopurinol. Tell your doctor about any heart or stroke history, and do not stop it on your own.
Does Febutaz 40 treat a gout attack?
No. It lowers uric acid over the long term to prevent attacks and does not relieve the pain of an attack. Attacks can even occur in the first months. Ask your doctor what to take during an attack.
Why did my gout get worse after starting Febutaz 40?
Attacks are common in the first months as uric acid levels change. Do not stop the tablet on your own. Tell your doctor, who may add medicine to help prevent attacks.
Can I take Febutaz 40 with azathioprine?
No. Febuxostat must not be taken with azathioprine or mercaptopurine, because their levels in the body can rise too far. Tell every doctor which medicines you take.
Can I take Febutaz 40 with food?
It can be taken with or without food. Doctors usually advise taking it at about the same time every day. Follow the label or your doctor's advice.
What is the difference between Febutaz 40 and febuxostat 40 mg?
Febutaz is a brand name, and febuxostat is the medicine inside it. Generic febuxostat 40 mg tablets contain the same active ingredient. Check the strength and ingredient list on the pack, and ask your doctor before switching.
Sources
- Febuxostat tablets: prescribing information (Macleods Pharmaceuticals, label revised 09/2023). DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine
- Adenuric (febuxostat): EPAR medicine overview. European Medicines Agency
- Gout. NHS (UK)
- ATC/DDD Index: M04AA Preparations inhibiting uric acid production. WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology