How is hyperuricemia treated?

Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
Updated on September 04, 2024
00:00
00:00

The treatment of hyperuricemia mainly includes: First, improving lifestyle, including healthy eating with a low-purine diet, quitting smoking, drinking more water, exercising regularly, and controlling weight. Second, alkalinizing the urine using sodium bicarbonate to maintain urine pH between 6.2 and 6.9, which facilitates the excretion of uric acid. Third, avoiding medications that increase blood uric acid levels, such as diuretics, corticosteroids, and insulin, among others. Fourth, using medications that lower uric acid, including drugs that increase uric acid excretion, mainly benzbromarone and probenecid, and drugs that inhibit uric acid synthesis, such as allopurinol and febuxostat. The choice of medication has specific indications, contraindications, and side effects, and it is advised to use these medications under the guidance of a specialist and not to self-medicate.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
1min 1sec home-news-image

Hyperuricemia treatment agent

Currently, the main treatments for hyperuricemia in clinical practice include the following types. One category is drugs that inhibit uric acid synthesis, primarily allopurinol and febuxostat. Allopurinol is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, which mainly works by preventing the conversion of hypoxanthine and xanthine into uric acid through the inhibition of xanthine oxidase. Febuxostat, on the other hand, is a newer xanthine oxidase inhibitor and may be more effective than allopurinol in lowering blood uric acid levels. Another category includes drugs that promote the excretion of uric acid, suitable for patients with normal renal function and hyperuricemia. These mainly include probenecid, benzbromarone, and some use of thiazide diuretics, though their effectiveness for hyperuricemia is somewhat controversial. (Specific medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
40sec home-news-image

What are the harms of hyperuricemia?

What are the dangers of hyperuricemia? First, it primarily causes gouty arthritis, characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain in certain joints, along with limited movement. For some people, the pain can be extremely unbearable. Second, long-term high levels of uric acid can damage the kidneys, leading to impaired kidney function. Third, these purines deposit in the joints forming gout stones, further affecting the function of these joints and reducing the quality of life. Therefore, it is important to treat hyperuricemia early to prevent complications.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
49sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hui Zhi
Endocrinology
40sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
1min 11sec home-news-image

How is hyperuricemia treated?

The treatment of hyperuricemia mainly includes the following points: 1. Improve lifestyle primarily, including a low-purine diet, appropriate exercise, smoking cessation, and increased water intake. 2. Alkalize urine using sodium bicarbonate to maintain urine pH value between 6.2 and 6.9, which facilitates the excretion of uric acid. 3. Avoid drugs that increase uric acid levels, such as diuretics, corticosteroids, and insulin. 4. Use medications that lower uric acid levels; drugs that increase uric acid excretion mainly include probenecid and sulfinpyrazone, and drugs that inhibit uric acid synthesis mainly include febuxostat and allopurinol. However, the treatment with these drugs has specific indications, contraindications, and related side effects. It is advised to use medication under the guidance of a doctor and avoid choosing drugs for treatment arbitrarily.