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Overview of High Uric Acid Level: Meaning, symptoms, causes and treatment

Team AckoSept 18, 2023

High Uric Acid Level (HUAL) affects people of all ages and genders. This condition occurs when the body generates too much Uric Acid and is unable to eliminate it properly. It is also known as Hyperuricemia, which is identified by excessive Uric Acid Levels in the blood. This disorder can lead to a number of health issues, such as kidney stones, gout, and even kidney damage. HUAL can result in irreversible bone, joint, or tissue damage, as well as arthritis. It has also been linked to disorders such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In this article, we will look at the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for HUAL to help you better understand the problem and take appropriate action to deal with it.

Contents

What is the High Uric Acid Level?
Causes of High Uric Acid Levels
Symptoms of High Uric Acid Level
Risk factors
Treatment of High Uric Acid
Prevention of High Uric Acid Levels
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the High Uric Acid Level?

Uric acid is an unwanted substance found in the blood. It is formed when the body breaks down a chemical called purine. Foods and beverages high in purines include the following.

Fish
Red meat
Organ meats, such as liver
High fructose items

Hyperuricemia occurs when your body generates a lot of uric acid or is not able to remove the needed amount from the system. It can result in the formation of uric acid crystals, also known as urate. These crystals can build up in the joints and cause gout. They can also get collected in the kidneys and cause kidney stones.

Causes of High Uric Acid Levels

The following are some of the factors that contribute to High Uric Acid Levels.

1. Diuretics

They are frequently used to treat high blood pressure. As per studies, diuretics promote Hyperuricemia (HCM) by increasing urate reabsorption.

2. Extreme alcohol consumption

The kidneys prioritise waste clearance from alcohol metabolism over uric acid elimination. As a result, uric acid remains in the body.

3. Purine-rich diet

Foods that are heavy in purines, such as meat, beans, peas, mushrooms, seafood, etc., can result in high levels of uric acid in the blood. This is due to the fact that the breakdown of these nutrients by the body results in the formation of uric acid.

4. Kidney Inefficiency

In some situations, a person's kidneys may be unable to effectively filter out waste products. This can result in uric acid collecting in the body rather than being eliminated by urine. As a result, kidney impairment or disease might result in HCM.

5. Hypothyroidism

It is a condition that causes the thyroid glands to be underactive. The flow of plasma to the kidneys may be decreased in this condition, and renal filtration may be hampered. This can result in High Uric Acid Levels.

6. Obesity

According to research, obesity is a common cause of HCM.

7. Medication

Studies show that the use of immunosuppressive medications may result in elevated uric acid levels in the body.

8. Cancer

Specific types of cancer, as well as chemotherapy, can cause specific cells to be quickly released into the bloodstream, resulting in HCM.

Symptoms of High Uric Acid Level

Although hyperuricemia is not a disease, elevated Uric Acid Levels can contribute to a variety of disorders over time and may exhibit the following symptoms.

1. Gout

Gout is an acute-onset inflammatory arthritis caused by the development of urate crystals in and around joint tissue as a result of HCM. When white blood cells target and scavenge the crystals, they produce chemical mediators known as cytokines, which regulate inflammation, swelling, and pain. The following are the symptoms of gout.

Intense joint pain and swelling, followed by intervals of remission
Joint swelling and redness
Stiffness of the joints
Deformity of the joints

2. Tophaceous gout

If you have chronic HCM, uric acid crystals may develop lumps known as tophi. These solid masses can be located under your skin, around your joints, and near the top of your ear's curve. Tophi can aggravate joint pain and, over time, injure or constrict nerves. They often become visible to the naked eye and can be disfiguring.

Following are some symptoms of tophaceous gout.

Inflammation and redness in the joints
Not being able to move the affected joints
Joint pain and swelling
Deformity of the Joints

3. Kidney stones

Chronic HCM may also result in the formation of urate stones in the kidneys. Minor stones can be expelled through urine, but larger stones are difficult to remove and can cause blockages in the urinary tract.

Symptoms of kidney stones may include the following.

Pain in the abdomen, lower back, or groyne
An increased urge for urination
Nausea
Painful urination
Difficulty urinating
Bloody and foul-smelling urine
Urinary tract infection
Fever and chills

Risk factors

Hyperuricemia may be caused by a combination of hormonal, nutritional, or genetic factors. Additionally, medications or medical conditions may also contribute to it.

Age and gender: Men between the ages of 30 and 50 are more prone to HCM.
Family history: People with first-degree relatives who have HCM or gout are more prone to this disease.
Consumption of alcohol: Moderate to excessive drinking of beer, wine, or any kind of alcohol increases the risk of HCM and recurrent gout attacks.
Health condition: People with health conditions like obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, and haematological disorders have a higher predisposition to Hyperuricemia.

Treatment of High Uric Acid

High Uric Acid Levels and their related symptoms can be treated in the following ways.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and colchicine are given to patients with gout to help with pain and joint inflammation.
If gout grows too big due to the tophi and begins to damage surrounding muscle and tissue, it must be surgically removed.
Using probenecid helps lower hyperuricemia by increasing urination. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors such as allopurinol may help reduce the Uric Acid Level in the bloodstream.
To treat stones with a diameter of five millimetres or less, you may be recommended to drink plenty of water to enable the stones to dissolve through your urine.
Doctors may administer medication to relax urinary tract muscles to treat kidney stones larger than 5 millimetres. This allows the stones to move out of the body with less pain.
Lithotripsy may be used to treat larger kidney stones. In this method, the stones are non-invasively broken down into smaller pieces using high-frequency sound waves. These smaller stones are then excreted by urination.
Ureteroscopic surgery may be required to remove stones larger than 10 mm in size.

Prevention of High Uric Acid Levels

Since uric acid gets created when purines breakdown in the body, avoiding or limiting the consumption of purine-rich foods like red meat, organ meat, seafood, oily fish, beans, lentils, alcoholic beverages, yeast supplements, and foods high in refined sugar may be helpful in decreasing High Uric Acid Levels.

It is also strongly advised to stay hydrated as well as exercise on a regular basis. Consuming low-purine foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, eggs, low-fat dairy, all herbs, and plant-based oils may work well for asymptomatic hyperuricemia.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here’s a list of FAQs related to High Uric Acid Levels.

What are the causes of High Uric Acid Levels?

Purine-rich foods, excess alcohol consumption, using diuretic and immunosuppressant drugs, kidney impairment, hypothyroidism, obesity, and certain types of cancer may cause elevated Uric Acid Levels.

What are the treatment options for High Uric Acid Levels?

Treatment options for High Uric Acid Levels may include the following.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and colchicine to treat pain and joint inflammation.
Probenecid helps lower hyperuricemia by increasing urination.
Xanthine oxidase inhibitors such as allopurinol may help reduce the Uric Acid Level in the bloodstream.
For smaller kidney stones, drinking plenty of water and taking urinary tract muscle relaxants are recommended.
Lithotripsy and ureteroscopic surgery may be used to treat larger kidney stones.

What can I do to prevent HUAL?

Staying hydrated and exercising regularly is a good start. Consult a doctor and focus on your diet and exercise.

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Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. Please consult a doctor before making any health-related decisions.