Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

What is the recommended dosing instruction for colchicine in treating gout?

1. Take 1 pill every 4 to 6 hours until pain is relieved

2. Take 1 pill every hour until relief is obtained or adverse effects occur

3. Take 1 pill every 2 hours regardless of symptoms

4. Take 2 pills twice daily until symptoms improve

The correct answer is: Take 1 pill every hour until relief is obtained or adverse effects occur

Taking one pill every hour until relief is obtained or adverse effects occur is the recommended dosing instruction for colchicine in treating gout. This approach allows for titration based on the patient's response to the medication. Colchicine is effective in reducing inflammation and alleviating pain in acute gout flares, but it can also lead to gastrointestinal side effects, such as diarrhea or nausea. Therefore, the instruction emphasizes monitoring how the patient responds to the medication, allowing patients to stop the medication if they experience adverse effects or if their symptoms improve. While other dosing instructions might suggest fixed intervals or dosages, they do not account for the individual variability in response to treatment and the potential for dose-dependent side effects, which makes the hourly dosing method a more prudent choice for managing acute gout attacks.