Serum Uric Acid and Other Important Numbers for People With Gout

By: | | Topics : About Gout, Gout Flare Prevention,

serum urate acid

You may have heard that gout is caused by excess uric acid in your bloodstream, a condition known as hyperuricemia.1 But did you know that having excess uric acid in your bloodstream can increase your risk of other health problems besides gout?1,2 That’s why you need to know your numbers.3 Read on to find out more about the significance of your serum uric acid (sUA) level and other important health information for people with gout.

 

Your serum uric acid level

According to the Gout Education Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public and the healthcare community about gout and the related healthcare consequences of hyperuricemia4, maintaining a healthy sUA level of 6.0 mg/dL or below is critical to minimizing gout risk3. For those already diagnosed with gout, the organization recommends sUA testing every six months.3 It also emphasizes the importance of taking medication(s) and/or implementing lifestyle changes that can help you maintain a healthy sUA level.3

 

Your other measurements3

While a healthy sUA level of 6.0 mg/dL or below is key, other numbers—blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol and blood sugar—are important, too.3 Healthy benchmarks for these are listed below3:

  • Blood pressure: 130/80 or less (140/90 or higher = hypertension)
  • Blood sugar: 100 mg/dL or below (fasting)
  • Cholesterol: 200 mg/dL or below
  • HDL (good) cholesterol: 40-60 mg/dL (the higher the better)
  • LDL (bad) cholesterol: 130 mg/dL or below
  • Heart rate: 60-100 beats/minute

Be sure to ask about these measurements at every checkup and find out how you can maintain them in the healthy range.

 

What’s your serum uric acid number?

Be sure to ask your doctor to measure your sUA level regularly. Upon reviewing your health history, he or she can help you determine the appropriate sUA level for you. If you’ve had severe gout and/or hyperuricemia for many years, your doctor may recommend that your sUA level be slightly lower than the goal of 6.0 mg/dL—5.0, 4.0, or even 3.0 mg/dL.3

 

Talk with your doctor

If you suspect you have hyperuricemia or gout, make an appointment to visit your doctor right away. It is important to get the disease under control as soon as possible, and medication may help.3 Consider downloading the Gout Flare Questionnaire (from Resources for Patients), completing it beforehand and bringing it with you to discuss at your appointment.

 

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 Hikma’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.

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References

  1. Gout/Symptoms & causes. Mayo Clinic website. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gout/symptoms-causes/syc-20372897. Accessed December 12, 2019.
  2. Health Conditions. Gout Education Society website. Available at: https://gouteducation.org/health-conditions/". Accessed December 12, 2019.
  3. Go For Six. Gout Education Society website. Available at: https://gouteducation.org/patient/go-for-six/. Accessed December 12, 2019.
  4. About Us. Gout Education Society website. Available at: https://gouteducation.org/about-us/. Accessed December 12, 2019.

Important Safety Information for Mitigare® (colchicine) 0.6 mg capsules

  • 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 these dual inhibitors with colchicine in patients with renal or hepatic impairment has resulted in life-threatening or fatal colchicine toxicity. Patients with both renal and hepatic impairment should not be given 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 used in therapeutic doses.
  • Monitor for toxicity and if present consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of colchicine.
  • Drug interaction with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors: Co-administration of colchicine with dual P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitors has resulted in life-threatening interactions and death.
  • Neuromuscular toxicity and rhabdomyolysis may occur with chronic treatment with colchicine in therapeutic doses, especially in combination with other drugs known to cause this effect. Patients with impaired renal function and elderly patients (including those with normal renal and hepatic function) are at increased risk. Consider temporary interruption or discontinuation of Mitigare®.
  • The most commonly reported adverse reactions with colchicine are gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Indication

Mitigare® is indicated for prophylaxis of gout flares in adults. 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.

For Full Prescribing Information please CLICK HERE and for Medication Guide CLICK HERE.

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Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Important Safety Information for Mitigare® (colchicine) 0.6 mg capsules

  • 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.