ALLOPURINOL

85/100 · Critical

Manufactured by Mylan Institutional LLC

Allopurinol Adverse Events: High Serious Reaction Rate

274,886 FDA adverse event reports analyzed

Last updated: 2026-05-12

About ALLOPURINOL

ALLOPURINOL is a medication tracked in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), manufactured by Mylan Institutional LLC. Based on analysis of 274,886 FDA adverse event reports, ALLOPURINOL has a safety score of 85 out of 100. This score indicates a relatively favorable safety profile, with fewer or less severe adverse events compared to many other tracked medications. The most commonly reported adverse reactions for ALLOPURINOL include DIARRHOEA, FATIGUE, DYSPNOEA, NAUSEA, DEATH. This page provides a comprehensive breakdown of reported side effects, safety signals, patient demographics, and AI-powered safety analysis for ALLOPURINOL.

AI Safety Analysis

Allopurinol has a safety concern score of 85 out of 100, placing it in the high concern category based on analysis of FDA adverse event data. The FDA has received approximately 274,886 adverse event reports for this medication, which is primarily manufactured by Mylan Institutional Llc.

The most commonly reported adverse events include Diarrhoea, Fatigue, Dyspnoea. Of classified reports, 82.2% were designated as serious by the FDA, meaning they involved hospitalization, disability, or other significant medical outcomes. Allopurinol has a high rate of serious adverse events, particularly kidney and respiratory issues.

The most common reactions include diarrhea, fatigue, and dyspnea, but these are often non-serious. Drug interactions and renal impairment are significant safety concerns.

Patients taking Allopurinol should monitor for the commonly reported side effects and contact their healthcare provider if they experience any unusual symptoms. Allopurinol can interact with other drugs, leading to adverse effects. Warnings include interactions with sulfonamides and other drugs that may cause severe reactions. This analysis is based on voluntary FDA adverse event reports and should not replace professional medical advice.

Safety Score: 85/100

Allopurinol received a safety concern score of 85/100 (high concern). This is based on a 82.2% serious event ratio across 150,955 classified reports. The score accounts for 274,886 total adverse event reports and 100 distinct reaction types. This high score reflects a significant proportion of serious adverse events in the reporting data.

Top Adverse Reactions

DIARRHOEA8,421 reports
FATIGUE7,967 reports
DYSPNOEA7,658 reports
NAUSEA7,064 reports
DEATH6,666 reports
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY6,554 reports
OFF LABEL USE6,272 reports
PYREXIA5,946 reports
PNEUMONIA5,570 reports
ASTHENIA5,483 reports
ANAEMIA5,280 reports
DRUG INEFFECTIVE4,943 reports
DIZZINESS4,936 reports
RENAL FAILURE4,686 reports
FALL4,544 reports
VOMITING4,320 reports
RASH4,180 reports
HYPOTENSION4,178 reports
PAIN4,049 reports
HEADACHE3,804 reports
MALAISE3,602 reports
ARTHRALGIA3,553 reports
PRURITUS3,428 reports
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE3,392 reports
DRUG INTERACTION3,332 reports
COUGH3,192 reports
FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA3,171 reports
CONSTIPATION3,132 reports
WEIGHT DECREASED3,060 reports
SEPSIS3,015 reports
THROMBOCYTOPENIA2,970 reports
DECREASED APPETITE2,919 reports
OEDEMA PERIPHERAL2,881 reports
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION2,873 reports
PAIN IN EXTREMITY2,841 reports
HAEMOGLOBIN DECREASED2,812 reports
DRUG REACTION WITH EOSINOPHILIA AND SYSTEMIC SYMPTOMS2,805 reports
ABDOMINAL PAIN2,772 reports
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION2,737 reports
CONDITION AGGRAVATED2,735 reports
DEHYDRATION2,683 reports
HYPERTENSION2,597 reports
PLATELET COUNT DECREASED2,597 reports
NEUTROPENIA2,523 reports
RENAL IMPAIRMENT2,444 reports
CONFUSIONAL STATE2,398 reports
BACK PAIN2,311 reports
GOUT2,183 reports
BLOOD CREATININE INCREASED2,180 reports
CARDIAC FAILURE2,171 reports
URINARY TRACT INFECTION2,120 reports
PERIPHERAL SWELLING2,028 reports
CHEST PAIN2,022 reports
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE1,936 reports
WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT DECREASED1,936 reports
RENAL FAILURE ACUTE1,879 reports
INSOMNIA1,840 reports
SYNCOPE1,813 reports
SOMNOLENCE1,790 reports
WEIGHT INCREASED1,786 reports
HYPERKALAEMIA1,772 reports
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE1,733 reports
MUSCLE SPASMS1,730 reports
ANXIETY1,710 reports
ERYTHEMA1,704 reports
GAIT DISTURBANCE1,698 reports
PANCYTOPENIA1,695 reports
MYALGIA1,667 reports
HYPONATRAEMIA1,653 reports
INFECTION1,601 reports
PLEURAL EFFUSION1,592 reports
COVID 191,578 reports
DISEASE PROGRESSION1,575 reports
ABDOMINAL PAIN UPPER1,570 reports
CONTUSION1,564 reports
EPISTAXIS1,541 reports
DEPRESSION1,513 reports
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION1,510 reports
BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED1,499 reports
BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASED1,489 reports
CHILLS1,456 reports
PRODUCT USE IN UNAPPROVED INDICATION1,403 reports
RESPIRATORY FAILURE1,386 reports
CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT1,383 reports
TREMOR1,382 reports
MUSCULAR WEAKNESS1,364 reports
LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS1,327 reports
FEELING ABNORMAL1,326 reports
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT1,288 reports
BRADYCARDIA1,266 reports
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE1,257 reports
NASOPHARYNGITIS1,246 reports
NEUROPATHY PERIPHERAL1,236 reports
ABDOMINAL DISTENSION1,216 reports
DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY1,200 reports
HYPERSENSITIVITY1,172 reports
CARDIAC ARREST1,164 reports
PULMONARY EMBOLISM1,150 reports
HYPOKALAEMIA1,147 reports
JOINT SWELLING1,143 reports

Key Safety Signals

  • Acute kidney injury and renal failure are frequent and serious adverse events.
  • Respiratory issues such as pneumonia and dyspnea are also common.
  • Drug interactions and ineffective drug performance are reported.

Patient Demographics

Adverse event reports by sex: Male: 89,867, Female: 49,072, Unknown: 448. The most frequently reported age groups are age 72 (3,788 reports), age 73 (3,777 reports), age 74 (3,700 reports). These demographics reflect reporting patterns and may not represent the full patient population.

Report Outcomes

Out of 150,955 classified reports for ALLOPURINOL:

  • Serious: 124,150 reports (82.2%) — includes hospitalization, disability, life-threatening events, or death
  • Non-Serious: 26,805 reports (17.8%)
Serious 82.2%Non-Serious 17.8%

The FDA classifies an adverse event as “serious” if it results in death, hospitalization, disability, congenital anomaly, or requires intervention to prevent permanent damage.

Demographics Breakdown

Reports by Sex

Male89,867 (64.5%)
Female49,072 (35.2%)
Unknown448 (0.3%)

Reports by Age

Age 723,788 reports
Age 733,777 reports
Age 743,700 reports
Age 713,652 reports
Age 763,557 reports
Age 773,538 reports
Age 703,515 reports
Age 753,440 reports
Age 693,383 reports
Age 683,327 reports
Age 783,305 reports
Age 803,221 reports
Age 673,153 reports
Age 793,082 reports
Age 662,931 reports
Age 812,710 reports
Age 642,697 reports
Age 652,606 reports
Age 632,569 reports
Age 832,415 reports

Demographics reflect voluntary FDA adverse event reporting patterns and may not represent the full patient population.

Drug Interactions & Warnings

Allopurinol can interact with other drugs, leading to adverse effects. Warnings include interactions with sulfonamides and other drugs that may cause severe reactions.

What You Should Know

If you are taking Allopurinol, here are important things to know. The most commonly reported side effects include diarrhoea, fatigue, dyspnoea, nausea, death. While many of these may be mild and temporary, you should contact your healthcare provider if any symptoms are severe or persistent. Monitor for signs of kidney and respiratory issues, especially in elderly patients. Be cautious of drug interactions and follow prescribed dosages. If you experience a serious adverse reaction, seek emergency medical attention immediately or call 911. You can report side effects to the FDA's MedWatch program at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Regulatory Context

The FDA closely monitors allopurinol due to its high rate of serious adverse events, particularly in older adults.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many adverse event reports has the FDA received for Allopurinol?

The FDA has received approximately 274,886 adverse event reports associated with Allopurinol. These reports come from healthcare professionals, consumers, and manufacturers through the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Note that the number of reports does not directly indicate the frequency of side effects, as adverse events are voluntarily reported and may be underrepresented.

What are the most commonly reported side effects of Allopurinol?

The most frequently reported adverse events for Allopurinol include Diarrhoea, Fatigue, Dyspnoea, Nausea, Death. By volume, the top reported reactions are: Diarrhoea (8,421 reports), Fatigue (7,967 reports), Dyspnoea (7,658 reports). These figures reflect FDA adverse event reports and may not represent the true incidence rate of these side effects in all patients taking Allopurinol.

What percentage of Allopurinol adverse event reports are serious?

Out of 150,955 classified reports, 124,150 (82.2%) were classified as serious and 26,805 as non-serious. The FDA classifies an event as "serious" if it results in death, hospitalization, disability, or other medically significant outcomes. A higher serious-event ratio warrants closer attention but does not necessarily mean the drug is unsafe.

Who reports adverse events for Allopurinol (by sex)?

Adverse event reports for Allopurinol break down by patient sex as follows: Male: 89,867, Female: 49,072, Unknown: 448. This distribution reflects reporting patterns rather than actual risk differences between groups. Reporting rates can be influenced by prescribing patterns, disease demographics, and reporting behavior.

What age groups report the most side effects for Allopurinol?

The most frequently reported age groups for Allopurinol adverse events are: age 72: 3,788 reports, age 73: 3,777 reports, age 74: 3,700 reports, age 71: 3,652 reports, age 76: 3,557 reports. Age-related reporting patterns can reflect both the demographics of the patient population and potential age-related susceptibility to certain side effects.

Who manufactures Allopurinol?

The primary manufacturer associated with Allopurinol adverse event reports is Mylan Institutional Llc. Multiple manufacturers may produce generic versions of this drug. The manufacturer listed reflects the most frequently reported brand in FDA adverse event data.

What other side effects have been reported for Allopurinol?

Beyond the most common reactions, other reported adverse events for Allopurinol include: Acute Kidney Injury, Off Label Use, Pyrexia, Pneumonia, Asthenia. Less common side effects can still be clinically significant. Patients should report any unusual symptoms to their healthcare provider.

How do I report a side effect from Allopurinol?

You can report adverse events from Allopurinol to the FDA through their MedWatch program at www.fda.gov/medwatch, by calling 1-800-FDA-1088, or by completing Form FDA 3500. Healthcare professionals, consumers, and manufacturers can all submit reports. Reporting helps the FDA monitor drug safety after approval.

What is Allopurinol's safety score and what does it mean?

Allopurinol has a safety concern score of 85 out of 100 (high concern). This score is calculated from the ratio of serious to non-serious adverse events, the diversity of reported reactions, and the overall volume of reports relative to usage. Allopurinol has a high rate of serious adverse events, particularly kidney and respiratory issues.

What are the key safety signals for Allopurinol?

Key safety signals identified in Allopurinol's adverse event data include: Acute kidney injury and renal failure are frequent and serious adverse events.. Respiratory issues such as pneumonia and dyspnea are also common.. Drug interactions and ineffective drug performance are reported.. These signals are derived from patterns in FDA reports and should be discussed with a healthcare provider for personalized assessment.

Does Allopurinol interact with other drugs?

Allopurinol can interact with other drugs, leading to adverse effects. Warnings include interactions with sulfonamides and other drugs that may cause severe reactions. Always inform your healthcare provider about all medications, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs you are taking before starting Allopurinol.

What should patients know before taking Allopurinol?

Monitor for signs of kidney and respiratory issues, especially in elderly patients. Be cautious of drug interactions and follow prescribed dosages.

Are Allopurinol side effects well-documented?

Allopurinol has 274,886 adverse event reports on file with the FDA. The most common reactions include diarrhea, fatigue, and dyspnea, but these are often non-serious. The volume of reports for Allopurinol reflects both the drug's usage level and the vigilance of the reporting community.

What is the FDA's position on Allopurinol?

The FDA closely monitors allopurinol due to its high rate of serious adverse events, particularly in older adults. For the most current regulatory information, check the FDA's drug labeling database or consult your pharmacist.

Related Drugs

Drugs related to ALLOPURINOL based on therapeutic use, drug class, or shared indications:

SulfasalazineSulfamethoxazoleTrimethoprimAllopurinol
Important Disclaimer: This content is generated by AI analysis of FDA adverse event reports and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Adverse event reports submitted to the FDA do not prove that a medication caused the reported side effect. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication. If you experience a serious side effect, contact your doctor or call 911 immediately.