Gout
Gout is more than the occasional attack of intensely painful joint swelling that often begins in the foot joints. Gout is also the chronic disease that slowly accumulates crystals of uric acid over many years due to a genetic difficulty getting rid of excess protein. Gout can lead to the destruction of joints and kidney stones due to the burden of uric acid crystals that develop even if there are few attacks. Uric acid is a break down product of purine proteins, one of the two types of proteins in our food. Different foods have different concentrations of purines, so a change in diet to limit purine protein can be helpful for controlling gout. Gout attacks are triggered by excess alcohol, low dose aspirin, and diuretics, as well as injury or overuse of a joint. Treatment of attacks include colchicine, NSAIDs, cortisone and anakinra. Prevention of attacks include avoidance of the above triggers, minimal purine protein diet, colchicine, and NSAIDs. Control of the disease is a combination of minimal purine protein diet and using Allopurinol, Uloric, Probenecid, or Krystexxa www.krystexxa.com if the serum uric acid cannot be kept below a level of 6 which is needed to deplete the uric acid crystals from the body. People with chronic gout usually require a lifetime treatment with drugs to lower uric acid levels. Gout is associated with high blood pressure, heart and kidney disease, and gout is rapidly increasing in frequency with metabolic syndrome associated with obesity.