Essay Preview: Gout
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Jennifer Lopez
November 19, 2007
Professor Bryska
Extra Credit BIOL 1274-
Gout is a common disease which is caused by the build up of uric acid in the joints, tissue deposition of uric acid crystals, and joint destruction if left untreated. Uric acid is a byproduct of purine metabolism. Lacking uricase, humans remove uric acid primarily by renal excretion. “Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes your body either produces too much uric acid or your kidneys excrete too little uric acid. When this happens, uric acid can build up, forming sharp, needle-like urate crystals in a joint or surrounding tissue that cause pain, inflammation and swelling” (Mayo Clinic).
Gout results “from an elevated blood level of uric acid (hyperuricemia), which occurs when the liver produces more uric acid than the body can excrete in the urine, or when a diet high in rich foods” (“Podiatry Channel”). The rich foods which are known to cause Gout are red meat, heavy creams, and red wine. Foods such as the ones mentioned tend to produce more uric acid than the kidneys can filter from the blood. (Francis, Mark).
The pain or inflammation is known to start primarily at the big toe or ankle in which the pain is caused by build up of crystals of uric acid in the joints (Arthritis Foundation). The symptoms known to go along with gout are redness, pain, inflammation, stiffness and swelling. Touching or moving the toe or ankle leads to increased pain. If gout is left untreated, this can often lead to damaged joints and cause incapacitation (Francis, Mark).
According to Dr. Francis, episodes of gout occur relatively quickly and usually at night. These episodes may occur due to: lifestyle factors, medical conditions, certain medications, family history of gout and age and sex.
Lifestyle factors include things such as excessive alcohol use. “Regularly drinking alcohol interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body and can increase the risk for developing gout (“Podiatry Channel”).
Medical conditions that may increases the chances of getting gout are high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidema; which is high levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood, and arteriosclerosis, narrowing of the arteries.
Medications that are used to treat hypertension, also know as high blood pressure, such as thiazide and some aspirins, can increase levels of uric acid in the body, thus causing gout.
Your odds of obtaining gout increases if someone in your family also is diagnosed with the same arthritic disease because it can be considered a hereditary disorder seeing how according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, approximately 18% of people have gout that also had someone in their family diagnosed as well.
The Mayo Clinic states that age and sex also affect who gets gout. Men around the age of 40-50 are more likely to be diagnosed with gout rather than women because women