Gout is a form of arthritis (an inflammation of the joints) that causes sudden, severe attacks of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling (inflammation) in some joints. It usually affects one joint at a time.
The large toe is most often affected, but gout also can affect other joints in the leg (knee, ankle, and foot) and, less often, joints in the arm (hand, wrist, and elbow). The fingers are rarely involved and the spine is almost never affected.
What Are the Symptoms of Gout?
The symptoms of gout include:
- Sudden, intense joint pain, which often can wake a person from sleep.
- Swollen joint that is warm to touch.
- Red or purple skin around the joint.
Uric acid comes from the natural breakdown of the genetic material in cells, RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Some foods contain large amounts of uric acid, especially red meats and organ meats (such as liver and kidneys), as well as some shellfish and anchovies.
Uric acid in normal amounts remains dissolved in the blood and easily passes through the kidneys, leaving the body as waste. However, uric acid in high amounts makes a person more likely to develop gout.
The amount of uric acid in your blood can change depending on what you eat, your overall health, how much alcohol you drink and what medicines you are taking, as well as in response to a sudden illness.
What Causes Gout?
Gout was once incorrectly thought to be a disease of the rich and famous, caused by consuming too much rich food and fine wine. Although diet and excessive drinking contribute to gout, they are not the main cause of the condition.
Gout results from abnormal deposits of uric acid crystals in the joint cartilage. The crystals are later released into the joint fluid.
Not everyone with high levels of uric acid will develop gout. The kidneys' ability to rid the body of uric acid is partly determined by heredity. Yet, just because someone in the family suffers from gout does not mean everyone in that family will have the disease. This risk varies from person to person.
How Frequent Are Gout Attacks?
Gout attacks can recur from time to time in the same joint. The initial attack may last several days to two weeks unless treated.
Over time, gout attacks may occur more often, involve more joints, have more severe symptoms and last longer. Repeated attacks can damage the joint.
Some people will have only a single attack. However, most people who have one gout attack will have at least a second attack, although it may not occur for several years after the initial onset. Others may have attacks every few weeks.
Who Is Affected By Gout?
Gout affects more than 2 million Americans -- most commonly men between the ages of 40 and 50, people who are overweight, people who frequently drink alcohol and people who use diuretics ("water pills") to lower blood pressure or treat heart failure.
When gout affects women, it usually is after menopause, especially in women who are taking certain medications. Less often, younger people may be affected by gout if they have been taking certain medications for long periods of time, frequently drink alcoholic beverages or have certain genetic disorders.
In addition to diuretics, there are some medications that reduce the body's ability to flush out uric acid, thus increasing the risk for developing gout. These medicines include:
- Anti-inflammatory medications made from salicylic acid, such as aspirin.
- Cyclosporine, a medicine used to suppress the body's immune system (Cyclosporine often is used to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs.).
- Levodopa, a medicine used to treat Parkinson's disease.
- Niacin, a vitamin that is part of the vitamin B complex and sometimes used to treat high cholesterol.
Gout cannot be diagnosed simply from a blood test, because many people have elevated blood uric acid levels but do not have gout. Rather, gout is diagnosed from the fluid of an inflamed joint. The fluid is observed under a microscope for uric acid crystals.
Fluid is removed through a needle during a procedure called arthrocentesis. Extracting the fluid not only aids in diagnosing the condition, but it may also reduce pressure within the joint, thereby reducing pain.
If crystals are not found in the fluid, the diagnosis of gout cannot be made with certainty. Occasionally, crystals may not be seen the first time, but may be seen if additional fluid is removed during a subsequent attack.
Since gout can cause chronic joint pain and involve other joints, it is extremely important that an accurate diagnosis be made so your doctor can prescribe the appropriate treatment.
How Is Gout Treated?
There is no cure for gout, but it can be treated and controlled. Symptoms often are relieved within 24 hours after treatment has begun.
The type of treatment prescribed will depend on several factors, including the person's age, type of medications he or she is taking, overall health, medical history and severity of gout attacks. Gout is mainly treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. These include:
- NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, are generally prescribed to treat sudden and severe gout attacks. They usually reduce inflammation and pain within hours.
- Corticosteroids (also called steroids), may be prescribed for people who cannot take NSAIDs. Steroids also work by decreasing inflammation. Steroids can be injected into the affected joint or given as pills.
- Colchicine is often used to treat gout and usually begins working within a few hours of taking it.
Medicine that lowers uric acid levels, such as allopurinol (Zyloprim) or probenecid (Benemid), also may be prescribed to help prevent a gout attack. These drugs are recommended for people who have had multiple attacks of gout or kidney stones due to uric acid. The goal of lowering the blood uric acid is to slowly dissolve deposits of uric acid in the joint.
Sudden lowering of the uric acid level may cause an attack of gout. To prevent attacks in people who are taking uric acid-lowering drugs, colchicine or an NSAID is temporarily prescribed.
In addition, uric acid-lowering therapy (with allopurinol or probenecid) is not started during a gout attack, since sudden lowering of the uric acid can cause a new attack or prolong an existing one.
What Are the Side Effects of Gout Medicine?
Upset stomach, indigestion and headaches are the most common side effects of antiinflammatory NSAIDs. Taking these medications with food can help reduce stomach upset. NSAIDs also can cause vomiting, constipation, ulcers and bleeding in the stomach, although these side effects are not common.
Side effects of corticosteroids include weight gain, increased appetite and mood swings. Corticosteroids can have serious side effects when taken for a long period of time. Possible serious side effects include osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) , diabetes , high blood pressure and decreased resistance to infection.
Possible side effects from colchicine include diarrhea, nausea and abdominal cramps.
The most common side effects of allopurinol and probenecid are upset stomach, diarrhea, headache or dizziness and a skin rash.
Not everyone will develop side effects from gout medications. How often any side effect occurs varies from person to person. The occurrence depends on the dose, type of medication, concurrent illnesses or other medications the person may be taking.
Some side effects are more serious than others. Before any medication is prescribed, your doctor will discuss with you the potential benefits and risks of taking the medication.
Should I Change My Diet?
Dietary changes for most people do not play a major role in controlling their uric acid levels. However, limiting certain foods that cause an increased production of uric acid -- such as red meats and organ meats (for example, liver and kidneys), as well as some shellfish and anchovies -- and reducing alcohol intake is often helpful.
What Is the Outlook For People With Gout?
Although there is no cure for gout, it generally can be controlled with medication. Controlling gout can help prevent permanent damage to the joint.
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