Second, risk factors, typical presentation of symptoms, and key diagnostic parameters will be reviewed so that the pharmacist may achieve an appreciation of the disease. First, to serve as a foundation, new insights into the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia and gout will be discussed. It is hoped that pharmacists will be empowered with this knowledge to assist the prescribing clinician to maximize patient outcomes when treating gout. 7 It is this concept of sharing current information on the management of gout that is the main impetus for the preparation of this review. ![]() 7 Further, Weaver et al stated that the arrival of newer investigational agents in the market has prompted rheumatologists to consider how they can share current information to improve gout management. Recent medical literature recognizes that most patients with gout visit a primary care physician for disease management, but there are challenges to diagnosing and treating gout in this setting. Since gout has been recognized for so many centuries, its diagnosis and treatment generally have not elicited much interest thus, the management of gout is a challenge for the clinician caring for the patient with this disease. 4,5 It was among the earliest diseases to be recognized as a clinical entity. Gout is a monosodium urate, monohydrate crystal deposit disease with a very rich history mirroring the evolution of medicine itself. ![]() ![]() Literature accounts have referred to gout’s association with rich foods and excessive alcohol consumption-thus the description, “the disease of kings.” 3 Gout is perhaps the oldest known type of arthritis it has been colorfully depicted in art and literature along with commentaries on the moral character of the gout sufferer ( FIGURE 1). 1,2 Both the incidence and the prevalence of gout appear to be increasing worldwide. Clinical literature has recently reported that gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis in the United States, with 3 to 5 million sufferers.
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