Until the recent introduction of febuxostat (Uloric),1 no new drugs had been marketed for treatment of gout in the past 40 years. Colchicine, which has been available for decades as an unapproved drug, has now been approved by the FDA (Colcrys) for treatment and prophylaxis of gout flares. It was approved earlier only in combination with probenecid (Colbenemid, and others). The goals of gout treatment are three-fold: treating acute disease, preventing flares and reducing uric acid stores.2

ACUTE GOUT — Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – Acute exacerbations of gout can be treated successfully in most patients with an NSAID, which should be started immediately at the onset of symptoms and taken regularly (not as needed) until resolution of the flare. There is no convincing evidence that indomethacin (Indocin, and others), a ... more      

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