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eConsult Team EMPLOYEE
sad I’m confused
eConsult Team (Resident Doctors) May 29, 2009 06:59

Can Gout Cause a Heart Attack?

I was recently diagnosed with gout and my doctor told me that I have to keep it under control, not just to prevent the painful flares but more importantly because gout can increase the risk of having a heart attack. I had never heard of this before. How can a sore toe cause a heart attack?
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  • eConsult Team EMPLOYEE
    happy I’m confident
    eConsult Team (Resident Doctors) May 29, 2009 07:00
    Many inflammatory conditions outside the heart are associated with a higher risk for developing heart attacks and strokes. Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are the best examples of this. We think it is because these are systemic diseases in which highly inflammatory molecules are circulating around in the bloodstream, and may promote atherosclerosis as they bathe the heart day after day, year after year.

    Gout may present a similar picture since uncontrolled gout consists of repeated bouts of inflammation. In addition, when one looks at folks who have heart disease, even without symptomatic gout, a high uric acid level (uric acid is the chemical that causes gout) is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. So, if you have gout, you should make sure it is kept under control, both for the sake of preserving your joints and perhaps for preserving a healthy heart, too.
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    good answer! good answer! (undo)
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