Effective treatment for gout can reduce heart disease risk
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- Reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when blood levels of a substance called uric acid get too high. The excess uric acid can settle in joints, where, from time to time, it forms needle-shaped crystals responsible for the swelling, redness, and pain of a gout attack. Gout can be treated with medications, including drugs that lower uric acid levels (urate-lowering therapy).
Gout also raises a person's risk for heart disease and stroke. A study published in the March 2026 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine found that this risk may be lowered by reducing uric acid levels to less than 6 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL).
Using a large health database in England, researchers analyzed data on over 109,000 people newly diagnosed with gout who had uric acid levels higher than 6 mg/dL at the time of diagnosis and received urate-lowering therapy for the first time. Those who achieved uric acid levels lower than 6 mg/dL within one year of starting the medication were 9% less likely to have a heart attack or stroke or die from heart disease over the next five years. A level less than 5 mg/dL corresponded to a 23% reduction in risk.
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About the Author
Lynne Christensen, Staff Writer
About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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