Gout And Arthritis

Content

• Daily Health News
• 1 Epidemiology Of Gout
• Treatment Options For Gout
• Causes Of Gout

Why only some people with elevated serum uric acid levels develop gout flares is not known. The increased risk of gout attacks with initiation of ULT was ameliorated with the concomitant use of prophylactic agents against gout attack . Treatments for gout attacks include nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs , colchicine, and corticosteroids to control pain and inflammation. What many do not realize is that gout goes far beyond a flare-up. Untreated gout and elevated SUA levels can lead to permanent joint damage, destruction of tissue, deformities and even loss of normal joint use.

This drug also may make some people drowsy or less alert. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive or operate machinery. Hyperuricemia often is caused by using diuretic medications ("water pills"). Diuretics are used to get rid of excess body fluid and to lower high blood pressure. However, diuretics can hamper the kidneys' ability to remove uric acid, thus raising uric acid levels in the blood. Gout is a dramatic example of a type of arthritis called crystal arthritis, sometimes called microcrystalline arthritis because the crystals are very small.

Daily Health News

Treatment for gout focuses on relieving pain during acute attacks, preventing future gout attacks, and reducing the risk of developing tophi and permanent joint damage. Most people with hyperuricemia never develop gout, and people with gout may have varying levels of uric acid in their blood. It is important to see a doctor if you experience gout symptoms. With treatment you may be able to control the disease and prevent joint damage.

What triggers gout arthritis?

Gout is caused initially by an excess of uric acid in the blood, or hyperuricemia. Uric acid is produced in the body during the breakdown of purines – chemical compounds that are found in high amounts in certain foods such as meat, poultry, and seafood.

Some studies found that attacks of gout occur more frequently in the spring. This has been attributed to seasonal changes in diet, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and temperature. Gout affects around 1–2% of the Western population at some point in their lifetimes and is becoming more common. Rates of gout approximately doubled between 1990 and 2010.

1 Epidemiology Of Gout

Gout attacks can be triggered by stress, other illnesses, drugs and alcohol, or too much meat or seafood. When you’re experiencing a flare-up, get treatment quickly to prevent permanent joint damage. Rest, avoid alcohol, cut back on animal proteins, and use an ice pack to cool and soothe the joint. But the disease actually progresses through four stages, from the silent buildup of uric acid in the blood to chronic arthritis.

Another drawback to probenecid is that it has to be taken twice a day. During the past 50 years advances in understanding the causes and pathophysiology of hyperuricemia and gout, have led to the development of effective therapies. As a result gout has become a paradigm for the rational treatment and prevention of a chronic rheumatic disease. Doctors may also do ultrasonography or a special CT scan to check for uric acid deposits. Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek first described the microscopic appearance of urate crystals in 1679. In 1848, English physician Alfred Baring Garrod identified excess uric acid in the blood as the cause of gout.

Most doctors will wait several days to weeks after a gout attack is over to begin medicine to lower the high uric acid levels. These medicines can cause uric acid stored elsewhere in the body to begin moving through the bloodstream and could make symptoms worse if treatment begins during a gout attack. In the first stage, you have high uric acid levels in your blood, but no symptoms.

Theodore Fields, MD, is an adviser to CreakyJoints and the clinical director of the Inflammatory Arthritis Center's Early Arthritis Initiative at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. CreakyJoints is an online community of patients and families looking for arthritis resources and support. Founded in 1999, it now includes more than 100,000 arthritis patients and their families. To learn more and to join for free, go toCreakyJoints.org. Luckily, gout is an extremely treatable condition, so getting a proper diagnosis and appropriate management is critical.

Treatment Options For Gout

Gout is a disease that requires lifelong treatment and management – not just during a flare. Proper treatment begins with an accurate diagnosis by a medical professional. Once the diagnosis is made, a plan for management can begin. For everyone, this includes lowering SUA levels to a target of less than 6 mg/dL.

An elevated SU level alone, however, does not serve as the sole criterion for gout. Although sustained hyperuricemia is a risk factor for acute gouty arthritis, tophaceous gout, and uric acid nephrolithiasis, most patients with hyperuricemia will never have an attack of gout. No treatment is required for asymptomatic patients, but it is prudent to determine the cause of hyperuricemia and correct it if possible. The time between flares is referred to as the inter-critical period.

The Sharp Pain During A Gout Flare Can Usually Help Distinguish The Two

Other joints involved include insteps, knees, wrists, fingers, and olecranon bursae.12 Systemic symptoms and signs of fatigue, fever, and chills may accompany the acute arthritis. The first episode of gouty arthritis often begins at night. The natural course of untreated gouty arthritis varies from episodes that last several hours to several weeks. During the acute or early phase of a gout attack, doctors prescribe medicines called colchicine, certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , and corticosteroids to decrease swelling and relieve pain. The sooner they are given after an attack starts, the faster the pain goes away. These drugs may be given by mouth, through an intravenous line into your bloodstream, or injected directly into the joint.