There are drugs available which reduce the production of uric acid and others which help the kidney to excrete it. This 24-hour urine test will help the doctor decide which is the most appropriate.
These drugs include allopurinol (to reduce production) and probenecid and sulfinpyrozone (to improve excretion).
Colchicine is still used both to treat acute attacks and for prevention. It can be used with the other newer drugs.
Some doctors advocate treating them to prevent its onset, but most are reluctant to treat biochemical levels alone, waiting until gout shows itself with an acute arthritis rather than embarking on lifetime treatment.
Sufferers should take heart that proper treatment is available, as gout can be potentially serious as well as painful.
*387/71/1*
no comment until now