Gout What is gout? Gout is a disease that occurs in some people who have high urate (uric acid) levels in the blood. In these people, the urate deposits as crystals in the joints and other tissues, causing sudden attacks of extremely painful, swollen, hot joints.
Hyperuricaemia and gout may be inherited, or occur as a complication of other conditions such as kidney failure and leukaemia. Gout is also associated with diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Some medications may make gout worse.
What causes gout? Gout is caused by too much uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a normal waste product from the breakdown of purines found in most foods. It accumulates when the body produces too much of it, or the kidneys do not clear it fast enough.
What are the signs of an attack of gout? An acute attack often occurs suddenly, resulting in severe pain in a few hours. The joint (most commonly the big toe or knee) can be extremely painful and is often swollen, warm and red as well.
Who gets gout? Almost all people with gout have high levels of uric acid (hyperuricaemia) in the blood. However not everyone with hyperuricaemia has gout.
Drinking alcohol, over-eating, extreme dieting, surgery or injury to joints can trigger an acute attack.
It affects more men than women and can affect men of any age. Women rarely develop gout before menopause.