Gout is a very painful form of arthritis characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness in one or more joints, most often in the big toe. It’s more common in men. An attack of gout usually lasts 5 to 7 days, then gets better.Gout is caused by a condition known as hyperuricemia, where there is too much uric acid in the blood. If uric acid levels stay too high, urate crystals can slowly start forming. Gout occurs when urate crystals accumulate in your joint.
The following makes it more likely that you will develop hyperuricemia, which causes gout:
- Being male
- Being obese
- Having certain health conditions, including:
- Congestive heart failure
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Diabetes
- Poor kidney function
- High cholesterol and fats in the blood
- Using certain medications, such as diuretics (water pills).
- Drinking alcohol. The risk of gout is greater as alcohol intake goes up.
- Having a diet high in purines, which the body breaks down into uric acid. Purine-rich foods include red meat, organ meat, and some kinds of seafood, such as anchovies, sardines, mussels, scallops, trout, and tuna.
Doctors usually diagnose gout based on your symptoms and the appearance of the affected joint. Tests to help diagnose gout may include a blood test to measure the levels of uric acid in your blood, joint x-rays, ultrasound, and joint fluid examination.
Attacks can be treated with medication such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, steroids, and the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine. Making changes to your diet and lifestyle, such as losing weight, limiting alcohol, eating less purine-rich food (like red meat or organ meat), may help prevent future attacks. Changing or stopping medications associated with hyperuricemia (like diuretics) may also help. For people with frequent acute flares or chronic gout, doctors may recommend preventive therapy to lower uric acid levels in the blood using drugs like Allopurinol, Febuxostat, and Pegloticase.