(light music)
- Gout is an inflammatory arthritis that develops
as a result of high levels of uric acid in the body.
Uric acid is a waste material resulting
from the breakdown of purines,
which are part of all human tissue and
are found in many foods, especially those high in protein.
If there is hyperuricemia, or what we call
is too much uric acid in the blood,
it means that uric acid is overly produced
or not excreted in the body.
This excess uric acid can still accumulate, crystalize,
and then deposit in certain joints,
most commonly in the big toe,
and this can lead to attacks of inflammation.
This inflammation causes sudden, severe episodes of pain,
tenderness, redness, warmth, and swelling
in the affected joint,
which can last for a few days if untreated.
The higher the level of uric acid,
the greater the incidence of gout.
Diagnosis entails having a compatible clinical picture
of acute joint swelling,
demonstration of elevated uric acid levels in the blood,
and detection of uric acid crystals
in affected joints through joint aspiration or imaging.
Why is a joint aspiration done for gout?
A joint aspiration is a procedure
that obtains fluid from the swollen joint.
This fluid is then sent for analysis
to look for uric acid crystals.
This is confirmatory for gout and
can help exclude other possible causes for joint swelling,
such as infection.
At the same time, as fluid is removed,
steroid can also be given into the joint itself
to resolve the attack of swelling much more rapidly.
Removal of fluid as well relieves the joint.
Are there risk factors for gout?
The answer is yes.
These are essentially risk factors
or causes for elevated uric acid levels.
The first one is diet.
Eating foods high in purine content,
such as high-fructose corn syrup containing foods,
game meats, seafood, and alcohol,
can increase uric acid levels and lead to gout.
Gender and age is another risk factor.
Men tend to have higher uric acid levels
and develop gout at a earlier age than women.
Women tend to develop gout after menopause,
due to the protective effect of estrogen.
Ethnicity and family history are also other risk factors.
Studies have shown that hyperuricemia is highly hereditable
and if family members have gout,
you're more likely to develop it.
Obesity and other medical comorbidities are risk factors.
Medical conditions like high cholesterol,
high blood pressure, diabetes,
and kidney issues, tend to accompany gout.
These conditions can all increase
the risk of high uric acid levels,
as well as have a tendency to decrease
the clearance of uric acid through the kidneys.
Medications are another culprit.
Several drugs have been implicated to increase uric acid.
The most common examples are water pills
or what they call are diuretics, baby aspirin,
chemotherapeutic drugs, and immunosuppressants,
such as those used for organ transplant.
We hope this information gives you a better overview of gout
and in turn can help you be an active and involved patient.
Gout is a disease that is in large part
preventable and manageable.
You can be an important part of this.
This disease is within your control.