Gout Risk Factors
You're more likely to develop gout if you have high levels of uric acid in your body. You may be susceptible to other risk factors if you get gout.
Complications
People with gout can develop additional conditions and complications. For example:
- Advanced gout -
Untreated gout may cause deposits of urate crystals to form under the skin in nodules called tophi (TOE-fi). Tophi usually aren't painful, but they can become swollen and tender during gout attacks.
- Kidney stones -
Urate crystals may collect in the urinary tract of people with gout, causing kidney stones. - Tendinitis -
According to the National Institute of Health, some forms of arthritis may cause a joint to develop tendinitis. Along with rheumatoid arthritis, gout may put strain on the area that could develop into additional tendinitis pain. - Cardiovascular Failure
Professor Austin Stack and other professionals conducted research to study the relationship between gout and mortality among U.S. citizens. The 15,773 patients were all 20 years of age and older, and information was gathered from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1988 until 1994, with mortality information being collected through 2006.
After reviewing the information, it was found that individuals who suffered from gout - thus high uric acid levels - were at a greater risk for dying due to a cardiovascular health issue. Furthermore, the higher the levels of uric acid in a patient, the greater their risk. In an interview with News Medical, Stack said that he was surprised to find that gout sufferers were actually at a 42 percent greater risk of death than those who were not diagnosed. This was even true for individuals who appeared to make healthy lifestyle choices - such as never having smoked or drank.