07/08/2019
Hyperuricemia occurs when there’s too much uric acid in your blood. High uric acid levels can lead to several diseases, including a painful type of arthritis called GOUT. Elevated uric acid levels are also associated with health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease.
Uric acid is formed when purines break down in your body. Purines are chemicals found in certain foods.
Normally, your body rids itself of uric acid when you urinate. Hyperuricemia occurs when your body either makes too much uric acid or is unable to excrete enough of it. It usually happens because your kidneys aren’t eliminating it quickly enough.
Excess uric acid levels in your blood can lead to the formation of crystals. Although these can form anywhere in the body, they tend to form in and around your joints and in your kidneys. Your body’s defensive white blood cells may attack the crystals, causing inflammation and pain.
Gout, sometimes called gouty arthritis, occurs in about 20 percent of people with hyperuricemia. A rapid drop in uric acid levels can also trigger gout. Gout can appear as isolated attacks, or flares. Some people experience chronic gout, which involves a number attacks occurring over short periods of time.
Gout can affect any joint in your body, but flares often first appear in your large toe. Feet, ankles, knees, and elbows are also common sites of gout.
