Use of allopurinol in the elderly
Allopurinol is a drug that is widely used for the treatment of hyperuricemia, which is defined by values of uric acid >6.8-7 mg/dl.1
At the end of 2012 in Italy the consumption figures for allopurinol, expressed as defined daily dose (DDD), was around 185 million.2
Allopurinol is often prescribed for asymptomatic hyperuricemia, although in fact, only three situations justify the treatment in these patients: