Hyperuricaemia in primary care

Hyperuricaemia, a pathological increase in serum uric acid levels, is the most significant modifiable risk factor for the development of gout. The prevalence of hyperuricaemia in the population has been increasing during recent decades. The risk of developing gout increases significantly with the increase in uricaemia. Patients with asymptomatic hyperuricaemia and gout have an increased risk of developing comorbidities, especially hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and metabolic syndrome. Asymptomatic hyperuricaemia and gout are associated with increased overall and cardiovascular mortality. The basis of successful treatment of hypeuricaemia is the patient's awareness of the nature of the disease, the principles and objectives of the treatment, and its possible complications. The management of asymptomatic hyperuricaemia should include lifestyle and dietary measures, treatment of comorbidities, rationalization of pharmacotherapy and, in some patients, urate-lowering therapy as well. In patients with gout, hypouricaemic treatment should be considered since the first manifestations. Urate-lowering therapy should be aimed at long-term maintenance of uricaemia below 360 μmol/l. Prophylactic treatment of gout attacks should also be an important part of urate-lowering therapy. The efficacy and safety of hypouricaemic treatment should be monitored and responded to by changing the treatment strategy in the case of failure to meet treatment objectives.

Keywords: gout, cardiovascular, hyperuricaemia, risk, treatment.