Treating chronic gout through consistent therapy

goutNot every patient suffering from gout suffers from gout is to blame. As a rule, a genetic cause that leads to reduced uric acid excretion by the kidneys is the reason for gout. This is known in professional circles, but is rather unknown in general. The main causes of gout are usually an unhealthy lifestyle with high alcohol consumption and overeating. This apparent self-blame of a patient suffering from gout is therefore often the reason why the symptoms are not taken seriously. In many cases, the result is a less consistently implemented therapy than with other chronic diseases, says PD Dr. Anne-Kathrin Tausche from the Dresden University Hospital.

Preventing the complications of gout with effective therapies

According to the specialists, gout is one of the most common diseases in male patients and must therefore be treated consistently. Only through effective therapy can serious secondary diseases that go beyond the typical joint pain be improved or, in the best case, avoided. Several studies have shown that the increased uric acid level in gout is partly responsible for various Diseases, such as heart disease, obesity, kidney failure, fatty liver and insulin resistance. These severely limit the quality of life or, in the worst case, can be fatal.

The aim of therapy is to consistently lower uric acid

A new guideline (S 2), which specifies a uniform target value of 6 mg/dl in the uric acid balance for gout, is now intended to raise awareness among doctors and patients and encourage measures to consistently lower serum uric acid. Allopurinol or, in the case of renal insufficiency, febuxostat are primarily used for medicinal uric acid reduction. It is not only important to combat the symptoms of an acute attack of gout, but also to prevent secondary diseases and significantly improve the patient's quality of life by effectively and long-term lowering the uric acid level.