The danger of high uric acid is not just gout In many people’s minds, the danger of “high uric acid” is gout. As long as it does not develop into gout, it is okay to have high uric acid blood. However, several clinical studies have found that hyperuricemia is not only the cause of gout, but is also associated with a variety of diseases. The risk of hyperuricemia to the health of middle-aged and elderly people is the same as that of hypertension and diabetes, and it is a problem that cannot be ignored. Numerous clinical studies have shown that hyperuricemia is closely related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, endocrine diseases and chronic kidney diseases, and is an independent risk factor for the occurrence and development of these diseases. In other words, gout is only the “tip of the iceberg” of the harm caused by hyperuricemia. The damage to the kidneys is more direct and obvious because under normal conditions, about 70% of uric acid is excreted by the kidneys. Hyperuricemia is closely related to the development and progression of acute and chronic kidney disease, and the two interact with each other in a causal relationship. Hyperuricemia can lead to acute uric acid nephropathy, chronic uric acid nephropathy, and even renal failure. Patients with chronic kidney disease can further aggravate hyperuricemia due to decreased kidney function and reduced uric acid excretion. In addition, it has been reported abroad that in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, those with hyperuricemia are more likely to have severe liver injury. It has also been reported that in obese adolescents, hyperuricemia is more likely to raise serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. ”In the impression of many people, once you have gout, you must keep your mouth shut, don’t eat big fish and meat, and must eat light. However, to reduce uric acid, “keep your mouth shut” is really useful? The answer is no. The production of gout is closely related to uric acid, which is a product of purine metabolism. The body metabolizes purines, and also takes in purines from food, and uric acid is produced after purines are metabolized. Uric acid in the blood, 20% comes from food and 80% is produced by the body’s metabolism. In other words, the effect of limiting purine intake to reduce uric acid by simply “keeping your mouth shut” is very limited, because only 20% of uric acid comes from food. On the other hand, under normal conditions, uric acid is excreted in the urine through the kidneys. If there are too many purines, more uric acid is produced and once the body cannot excrete uric acid well, uric acid will accumulate in the body. It has been found that the cause of hyperuricemia, “increased production” only accounts for 10%, “excretion disorder” accounts for 90%. In this condition, restricting the intake of purine foods alone will have a more limited effect on blood uric acid. ”In order to reduce the further damage caused by high uric acid, patients need to take medication to lower the blood uric acid level. There are two kinds of drugs commonly used, one is drugs to reduce uric acid synthesis, such as allopurinol, and the other is drugs to promote uric acid excretion, such as benzbromarone. Since excretion disorders account for 90% of the causes of hyperuricemia, enhancing uric acid excretion is the key to treatment. It is worth noting that studies have shown that uric acid levels in the blood of overweight people tend to be high, and that after weight loss, blood uric acid levels can drop significantly. Therefore, exercise for weight loss can help reduce uric acid levels and prevent gout from occurring. However, when a gout attack occurs, be sure to avoid exercise and elevate your legs, and apply appropriate ice to the affected area.