Here are some of the terms often used to describe gout, gout flares and gout prevention.
Commonly Used Gout Terms
acute gouty arthritis—A condition where uric acid crystals form in the joints causing sudden and intense pain, swelling and redness.1 Attacks, also known as flares, are common at night and can be set off by stress, alcohol, certain medications or the presence of another illness.1
asymptomatic hyperuricemia—A condition where the uric acid level in the blood is elevated, but no symptoms are present.1 Treatment is not typically required.1
chronic gout—The most devastating and disabling stage of gout.1 It usually develops over a period of about 10 years.1 By this point, gout has permanently damaged the joints and sometimes even the kidneys.1 With the appropriate treatment, however, many people with gout never reach this stage.1
colchicine—A prescription medication discovered centuries ago that is derived from a plant called the autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale).2 Colchicine is the active ingredient in Mitigare® (colchicine) 0.6 mg Capsules and has been shown to prevent flares in adults with gout.3 See the full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for complete product indications and safety information
flare—An episode in which a joint suddenly becomes swollen, red and excruciatingly painful.4 Also known as a gout attack or gout flare.4
gout—A form of arthritis that develops when excess uric acid in the bloodstream forms needle-shaped urate crystals in the joints.1 These urate crystals can cause intense pain, swelling, redness and loss of range of motion.1
gout attack—An episode in which a joint suddenly becomes swollen, red and excruciatingly painful.4 Also known as a flare or gout flare.4
gout flare—An episode in which a joint suddenly becomes swollen, red and excruciatingly painful.4 Also known as a flare or gout attack.4
hyperuricemia—A condition in which the level of uric acid in the bloodstream is elevated.5
inflammation—Swelling, redness, pain and/or warmth in an area of the body.6 Typically a protective reaction to injury, disease or irritation.6
inter-critical gout—The period between acute gout flares or attacks where there are no symptoms.1 Also known as interval gout.1
interval gout—The period between acute gout flares or attacks where there are no symptoms.1 Also known as inter-critical gout.1
Mitigare® (colchicine) 0.6 mg Capsules—The only branded colchicine product for the prevention of gout flares in adults that is available in a capsule.3 The safety and effectiveness of Mitigare for acute treatment of gout flares during prophylaxis has not been studied. Mitigare is not an analgesic medication and should not be used to treat pain from other causes. See the full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for complete product indications and safety information.
monosodium urate (MSU) crystals—Needle-shaped crystals that form in tissue, usually in and around joints, that can cause gout flares.5 Also known as urate crystals.
podagra—A gout flare, or attack, that occurs in the large joint of the big toe.1
prophylaxis—Treatment given or action taken to prevent disease.7
pseudogout—A form of arthritis with symptoms similar to gout.1 The primary difference is the type of crystals that cause the inflammation.1 In people with gout, monosodium urate crystals cause the inflammation; in people with pseudogout, the inflammation is caused by calcium phosphate crystals.1
purine(s)—Substances in animal- and plant-based foods that your body converts to uric acid.8
synovial fluid—A thick, straw-colored liquid found in small amounts in the joints.9
tophus (pl. tophi)—Chalky uric acid crystal deposits that appear as lumps under the skin surrounding the joints and under the skin on the rims of the ears.1
True Blue Savings Card—The Mitigare® True Blue Savings Card helps eligible patients save Colchicine capsules.* With the Mitigare® True Blue Savings Card, eligible patients can get their first 30-day supply (up to a maximum of 60 capsules) of Mitigare® (Colchicine) 0.6 mg capsules or Generic Colchicine 0.6 mg Capsules for as little as $0, up to a maximum savings of $65. For refills, eligible patients can save on their out-of-pocket costs and pay as little as $5 per refill of Mitigare® or Generic Colchicine 0.6 mg Capsules, up to a maximum savings of $50 per 30-day supply (up to a maximum of 60 capsules). Dispenses for a 60-day supply (up to a maximum of 120 capsules) and 90-day supply (up to a maximum of 180 capsules) are permissible within the terms of the program, up to a total of a 12-month supply.
Qualified patients also have access to a number of complimentary patient educational and support resources.
urate crystals—Needle-shaped crystals that form in tissue, usually in and around joints, that can cause gout flares.5 Also known as monosodium urate (MSU) crystals.
urate-lowering therapy (ULT)—Prescription medicine that lowers the serum urate level to help dissolve monosodium urate crystals, reduce the risk of gout flares, resolve tophi and prevent joint damage.10
uric acid—A waste product that results from the breakdown of purines.1
*For all eligible patients 18 years or older who are legal residents of the United States or Puerto Rico. First 30 days are as little as $0 only for eligible patients. Maximum savings of $65 on the first fill and $50 on refills. Please see complete Terms and Conditions for details.
Important Safety Information
Colchicine 0.6 mg capsules are contraindicated in patients with renal or hepatic impairment who are currently prescribed drugs that inhibit both P-gp and CYP3A4. Combining one of these dual inhibitors, or a medication that inhibits either P-gp or CYP3A4, with colchicine has resulted in life-threatening or fatal colchicine toxicity.
Patients with both renal and hepatic impairment should not use Mitigare®.
Fatal overdoses have been reported with colchicine in adults and children. Keep Mitigare® out of the reach of children.
Blood dyscrasias such as myelosuppression, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia and aplastic anemia have been reported with colchicine use.
Monitor for toxicity and if present consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of colchicine.
Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for Mitigare® for complete product details.
NOTE: This article was not written by a medical professional and is not intended to substitute for the guidance of a physician. These are not West-Ward’s recommendations for gout flare prevention, but rather facts and data collected from various reliable medical sources. For a full list of resources and their attributing links, see below.