Raised Uric Acid: Does Everyone Need Medication? | Hyperuricaemia & Gout
Raised Uric Acid: Does Everyone Need Medication? When a blood test says “high uric acid,” should you immediately start allopurinol? A routine health check shows uric acid 7.5 mg/dL . There is no joint pain, no swelling and no previous attack of gout. The immediate question often is: “Doctor, should I start medicine to bring it down?” Not necessarily. A raised serum uric acid level is not the same thing as having gout. Many people have hyperuricaemia without ever developing a gout attack . NICE specifically notes that while many people with gout have elevated serum urate, many people with hyperuricaemia do not have gout. The decision to prescribe urate-lowering medication should therefore depend on the whole clinical picture—not just the number on the laboratory report. What is uric acid? Uric acid is produced when the body breaks down purines. Normally, it is dissolved in the blood and eliminated primarily through the kidneys. When uric acid remains elevated, monosodium urate crys...