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Hyperuricemia
High uric acid blood disease falls under which department?
Hyperuricemia is an endocrinological disease. First, let's understand what hyperuricemia is. Hyperuricemia refers to a condition where the concentration of uric acid in the blood exceeds the normal upper limit. Generally, the blood uric acid concentration in males and postmenopausal females is greater than 420 µmol/L, and greater than 348 µmol/L in premenopausal females is considered hyperuricemia. It is a nucleic acid metabolic disease and is often accompanied by obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, etc., and is a type of metabolic disorder. Therefore, hyperuricemia is an endocrinological disease.
What vegetables should be eaten for hyperuricemia?
For hyperuricemia, almost all vegetables, fruits, milk, and eggs can be safely consumed, as these foods are low in purines and therefore can be eaten without concern. However, spinach among the vegetables contains a certain amount of purines. It can be consumed by individuals with hyperuricemia, but it is important to limit the quantity and not consume too much. On the other hand, consumption of some high-purine animal organs such as heart, liver, kidney, brain, crabs, oysters, and other high-purine foods should be restricted. Additionally, meat, fish, and shrimp, which also contain certain amounts of purines, can be consumed but intake should be moderated.
Treatment of Hyperuricemia
Hyperuricemia is becoming increasingly common in today's life, and its treatment is divided into two main aspects: lifestyle interventions and medication treatment. For lifestyle, the main focus should be on healthy eating, quitting smoking, maintaining regular exercise, and proper weight control. Regarding diet, a strict low-purine diet is essential, especially avoiding the consumption of animal offals, meat broths, seafood, and beer. Additionally, it is important to alkalinize urine, which can be done using substances like baking soda or soda water. Also, ensure to drink plenty of water, maintaining a daily intake of over 2000 milliliters, and control other risk factors that can cause hyperuricemia, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. In terms of medication, the choice of drugs should be based on the different causes of hyperuricemia. If it is due to a uric acid excretion disorder, drugs like probenecid may be used. If it is due to an overproduction of uric acid, medications like allopurinol could be considered. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)
Can you eat vinegar if you have hyperuricemia?
It's not that you can't eat vinegar. Vinegar is an acidic substance. However, patients with hyperuricemia need to alkalize their urine to reduce uric acid and slightly alkalize the body's pH value, which means keeping it on the alkaline side within the normal range. In such cases, it is recommended to eat more alkaline foods. Alkaline foods facilitate the excretion of uric acid through urine and help lower blood uric acid levels. Of course, this does not mean that you cannot eat vinegar at all; you can consume it in moderation, but not excessively.
Is hyperuricemia serious?
Hyperuricemia can be divided into several stages, each with varying degrees of severity. Early on, it may be asymptomatic, manifesting either as consistent or fluctuating hyperuricemia. If it progresses to an acute gout phase, it can cause a series of harms to the kidneys, joints, and internal organs. During the chronic gout phase, there is more deposition of urate salts, primarily affecting the kidneys. Initially, it causes gouty nephropathy, leading to edema, hypertension, renal insufficiency, and even acute renal failure. The second scenario involves uric acid-related kidney stone disease, which can lead to a significant number of kidney stones, causing acute renal failure, pyelonephritis, renal abscesses, and more. Additionally, it can cause eyelid lesions, including blepharitis along the eyelid margin, and possibly gouty tophi near the eyelid margin that may rupture, adversely affecting the eyes and vision. It may even lead to retinal hemorrhage, exudation, and edema. Thus, uncontrolled uric acid levels represent a serious health concern.
What are the symptoms of hyperuricemia?
Some patients with hyperuricemia are asymptomatic, while others may suffer from complications such as gouty arthritis, gouty nephropathy, and tophi. Gouty arthritis is very common clinically and is primarily characterized by localized joint redness, swelling, heat, and pain. The commonly affected joints include the first metatarsophalangeal joint, ankle joint, and wrist joint. In cases of gouty nephropathy, patients may exhibit high levels of uric acid and increased creatinine levels, which may manifest as frequent urination, nocturia, and swelling of the lower limbs. If gout crystals deposit in the joints, they can form tophi, leading to joint deformities and restricted movement.
What should be noted for hyperuricemia?
Firstly, hyperuricemia is just found during routine physical examinations or blood tests, showing an increase in blood uric acid levels without the occurrence of gout attacks, meaning there are no symptoms of joint pain. At this time, there is no need for special medication, which means uric acid-lowering drugs are not required. However, you need to be cautious and change your lifestyle habits. For example, abstaining from alcohol, controlling the intake of animal organs, seafood, and barbecued foods. Additionally, drinking more water is necessary, and for overweight individuals, controlling weight and losing weight are important considerations. Also, you should avoid intense physical activities as they can trigger gout attacks, but this doesn't mean no exercise at all; slow walking and swimming are fine.
How should one with hyperuricemia adjust their diet?
For the diet of hyperuricemia, it is generally recommended to follow a low-purine diet. What is a low-purine diet? First, try to avoid consuming seafood, animal organs, and other seafood products that contain high purines. Second, it is advised to abstain from alcohol, especially spirits and beer, and it is best not to drink them at all. Third, drink plenty of water, ensuring a daily intake of at least 1500 to 2000 milliliters. Fourth, it is also recommended to avoid consuming traditional long-cooked soups and hotpots.
How to reduce high uric acid in hyperuricemia?
The treatment of hyperuricemia includes lifestyle intervention and medication. Lifestyle intervention involves controlling the total caloric intake of the diet, limiting the intake of high-purine foods, avoiding animal offal, shellfish, hot pots, and not consuming tofu, bean sprouts, and other soy products. Smoking and drinking alcohol should be prohibited. It is advocated to eat alkaline foods and choose melon-type vegetables. Appropriate exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, and aerobic dancing, should be performed. Weight control is necessary, and obese patients should lose weight. Secondly, medication should be used to lower uric acid levels. Options include drugs that promote the excretion of uric acid and drugs that inhibit the production of uric acid, while also alkalizing the urine.
Are hyperuricemia and high uric acid the same thing?
Firstly, hyperuricemia and high uric acid levels refer to the same concept, defined as blood uric acid levels greater than 420. This condition is described as asymptomatic hyperuricemia, which does not require special treatment at this stage, but it does necessitate changes in lifestyle habits such as abstaining from alcohol, avoiding eating animal organs, seafood, and high-protein foods, not drinking carbonated beverages, and losing weight if obese, to help control body weight. After changing these lifestyle habits, a recheck of the uric acid levels should be done in two weeks to see if there has been a decrease. If the levels have not decreased at that time, sodium bicarbonate tablets can be used to alkalinize the urine. Additionally, increasing water intake to promote the excretion of uric acid and monitoring the dynamic changes in uric acid levels are needed. Once joint pain occurs, which indicates an acute gout attack, proper uric acid-lowering medication is required. (Please undergo medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate blindly.)