Abstract

ROLE OF ANTIHYPERURICEMIC DRUGS IN HYPERURICEMIA AND GOUT: AN OVERVIEW

Navesh Veer*, Lal Ratnakar Singh and Brijesh Sharma

ABSTRACT

Hyperuricemia is defined as a serum urate level greater than 6.0 mg/dl in women, and 7.0 mg/dl in men. Above this concentration, urate is supersaturated in body fluids, and is prone to crystallization and subsequent tissue deposition. Gout is a common problem affecting 1% of adult males in developed countries. Gout is due to the nucleation and growth of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in tissues in and around the joints, following long-standing hyperuricemia, that is, serum urate (sUA) above the saturation threshold. Gout is characterized as Acute Gout and Chronic gout, which is usually associated with the presence of subcutaneous MSU deposits or tophi. Further deposition will cause ‗‗refractory gout‘‘. Hyperuricemia results from an imbalance between the rate of production and excretion of uric acid in the body. Gout can be diagnosed by arthrocentesis. Hyperuricemia can be detected by imaging techniques such as ultrasound and dual-energy computed tomography (DECT).The strategy to cure gout is first to completely dissolve MSU crystals and second, to avoid new crystal formation. NSAIDs, Uricosurics and Xanthine Oxidase inhibitors etc can be prescribed for treatment. In this article symptoms, diagnosis and drugs used for Gout and Hyperuricemia are reviewed.

Keywords: Hyperuricemia, gout, antihyperuricemic drugs.