Gout Health Center

There are many causes and risk factors associated with gout. Those who have a family history of the disease have an increased risk of developing the condition. Gender and age play a role, too; men are more likely to get gout, and the condition is overall more common in adults than in children.

Overindulging in alcohol can lead to hyperuricemia, as alcohol interferes with the removal or uric acid from the body. Also, eating foods rich in purines can cause build-up of uric acid and aggravate gout in some individuals.

Lead exposure and health problems such as high blood pressure, hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland), psoriasis, hemolytic anemia and cancer can raise the risk of developing gout.

The presence of Kelley-Seegmiller or Lesch-Nyhan syndrome — both rare conditions in which there is little or none of the enzyme needed to control uric acid levels — can also lead to gout.

Certain medications can also put people at risk:

• Diruetics, which are medications taken to eliminate excess fluid from conditions like hypertension, edema and heart disease, can decrease the amount of uric acid passed through urine, therefore allowing build up of uric acid.
• Salicylate-containing medications such as aspirin.
• Niacin or nicotinic acid.
• Cyclosporine, a medication that suppresses the body’s immune system, is often taken in the treatment of some autoimmune diseases and to prevent the body’s rejection of transplanted organs.
• Levodopa, a medicine used to support communication along nerve pathways, is used often in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.