Can gout medication help prevent heart attacks?

Yes, a study suggests that medications like allopurinol, used to treat gout, may also reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

What is the recommended uric acid level for gout patients?

Patients are usually advised to aim for uric acid blood levels below 360 micromol/L, with even greater heart benefits observed below 300 micromol/L.

How many patients were included in the gout medication study?

The study analyzed data from 109,504 patients aged 18 or over who had been diagnosed with gout.

Home / Health / Gout Drug Fights Heart Attack Risk

Gout Drug Fights Heart Attack Risk

26 Jan

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Summary

Gout medication may lower heart attack and stroke risk.
Lower uric acid levels further reduced heart risks.
Study involved over 100,000 patients with gout.

A recent study indicates that a common gout medication, allopurinol, may also lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. This medication helps reduce uric acid levels, which are elevated in individuals with gout. The research, involving over 100,000 patients diagnosed with gout and high uric acid levels, analyzed health outcomes over five years.

Findings revealed that patients treated with uric acid-lowering drugs, primarily allopurinol, exhibited a reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart conditions. This protective effect was amplified in individuals who achieved lower uric acid blood levels, specifically below 300 micromol/L. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, highlights a significant added benefit to gout treatment.

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