What is gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in our blood, and our kidneys cannot get rid of it quickly enough (uric acid is also known as serum urate concentration or urate for short).

The excess uric acid forms tiny crystals inside our small joints such as the big toes, ankles, fingers and wrists. This causes joint swelling and pain called gout flare or gout attack.

Gout is an inherited condition. Many people with gout have a family history of gout.

what causes high level of uric acid?

In some people, increased uric acid levels and risk of gout can be caused by certain health conditions or medicines, such as:
. Kidney disease,
. Being overweight or obese,
. High blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes,
. Taking some diuretic medicines which help you produce more urine.

Untreated gout can lead to permanent joint damage, more often and severe flares, kidney disease and stones, and heart health problems.

How can I control gout?

Gout is a lifelong condition. It can be controlled with early diagnosis and taking a medicine every day to lower uric acid levels.

We can also control triggers for a gout flare by,
. Developing a treatment plan with your doctor and take your medicines as directed,
. Reducing alcohol intake and stay hydrated to reduce the concentration of uric acid in your blood,
. Avoiding some foods and drinks that are high in purines as our bodies turn purines into uric acid.

Examples of foods that are high in purines include, red meat (beef, lamb, pork, goat, veal), white meat (chicken, duck, turkey, rabbit), organ meats (liver, heart, kidney, spleen), seafood, especially shellfish (mussels, scallops, prawns/shrimp, crab, lobster …), and sweetened drinks (non-diet soft drinks, fruit juice …).

If you have gout or care for someone who has gout, you might find it useful to find more reliable information about gout and connect with others through trusted organisations such as Arthritis Australia.

References:

Arthritis Australia (2017). https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/
Medcast – Quality Use of Medicines (2024). https://medcast.com.au/qhub