abatacept vs allopurinol
Side-by-side comparison of abatacept and allopurinol Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Orencia
Zyloprim
Orencia is a medicine that helps to reduce inflammation. It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis.
Allopurinol is a medicine that lowers uric acid levels in your body. It helps prevent gout attacks and other problems caused by high uric acid.
Orencia treats rheumatoid arthritis in adults. It also treats polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in patients 2 years and older. Orencia can also treat active psoriatic arthritis in patients 2 years and older. Finally, it can prevent acute graft versus host disease after a stem cell transplant.
This medicine is used to manage gout in adults. Gout causes painful attacks, joint damage, and kidney problems. Allopurinol is also used in adults and children with leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumors who are getting cancer treatment. It helps manage high uric acid caused by the cancer treatment. It can also help adults who get calcium oxalate kidney stones often.
Orencia works by blocking the activity of certain immune cells called T cells. These T cells can cause inflammation and damage to your joints and other tissues. By blocking T cell activity, Orencia can help reduce inflammation and relieve your symptoms.
Allopurinol works by blocking an enzyme called xanthine oxidase. This enzyme helps your body make uric acid. By blocking it, allopurinol reduces the amount of uric acid in your blood and urine.
- • Headache
- • Upper respiratory tract infection (like a cold)
- • Runny nose
- • Nausea
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Increased liver enzyme levels
- • Gout attacks
- • Skin rash
- The medicine is not working 38,612
- Rheumatoid arthritis 23,596
- Pain 21,295
- Joint pain 20,151
- Swollen joint 19,709
- Diarrhea 8,423
- Tiredness 7,965
- Difficulty breathing 7,659
- Feeling sick to your stomach 7,061
- Death 6,664
Using Orencia with a TNF antagonist or other biologic medicines can raise your risk of serious infections. Tell your doctor if you have any signs of infection, such as fever, cough, or sore throat. Orencia can also cause allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Get medical help right away if you have trouble breathing, swelling, or hives.
Allopurinol can cause serious skin reactions that can be deadly. Stop taking this medicine and get medical help right away if you get a skin rash or any other signs of an allergic reaction.
There is not enough information about Orencia use in pregnant women to know if it is safe. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
Allopurinol may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not recommended to breastfeed while taking this medicine because it can pass into breast milk.
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How to Read This abatacept vs allopurinol Comparison
abatacept is classified in the T-Cell Co-Stimulation Modulator drug class, while allopurinol sits within the Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, abatacept has 123,363 submissions while allopurinol has 37,772. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between abatacept and allopurinol — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.