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ROCHESTER — If you have a gout flare-up, your risk of having a heart attack or stroke may rise during the four months afterward. That's according to a new study by researchers at the University of Nottingham and Keele University in the UK.
They found that gout patients who had a heart attack or stroke were twice as likely to have had a flare-up of gout in the 60 days beforehand, and were one and a half times more likely to have had a gout flare-up as long as 120 days beforehand.
People with gout tend to have more cardiovascular risk factors than people who don't suffer from gout.
“People with gout should be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle with appropriate treatment of conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes to minimize their background risk of heart attack and stroke,” said Dr. Abhishek Abhishek, lead author of the study.
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid, a chemical produced by the body. The uric acid forms into sharp crystals that build up around joints, causing inflammation and severe pain. Certain foods and drinks can make the situation worse.
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Inflammation is also a risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
The researchers says people with recurrent gout flares should consider long-term urate lowering treatments.
The study is published in the journal JAMA.
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