People suffering from gout can have an increased risk of several other health conditions. Certain gout symptoms including inflammation, accumulation of uric acid crystals, etc. can increase the risk of other ailments. Therefore, it is important for people with this condition to watch out for the symptoms of other health conditions too.
There are different risk factors associated with gout that can increase the chance of other diseases. So we list some of the important reasons behind the development of different other chronic ailments in people suffering from gout.
Kidney Stones And Kidney Diseases
One of the important organs that are commonly found to be impacted by gout is the kidneys. Gout patients can develop a number of problems that can affect their kidneys ranging from reduced functioning of this organ to kidney failure. Hence, if you are suffering from gout, it is greatly important for you to take great care to maintain the health of your kidneys.
Studies suggest that gout can increase the risk of moderate kidney disease by 78%. Also, 1 in 4 gout patients can have renal damage. According to experts, the uric acid crystals that travel through the blood are the major reason for the development of various kidney diseases including kidney stones. The accumulation of these crystals can lead to the formation of stones in the kidneys. Additionally, they can also result in the scarring of the kidneys thereby affecting the normal functioning of this organ.
The severe inflammation associated with gout might also contribute to kidney damage. Therefore, it is important for you to take proper gout treatment to control the inflammation resulting from it along with reducing the levels of uric acid crystals in the body.
Heart Diseases
Severe ailments including heart disease and stroke are other important complications that can result from gout. Research and studies link gout to an increased risk of different heart issues like atrial fibrillation, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, and heart attack. The build-up of uric acid crystals and body-wide inflammation can be the reasons for an increased risk of heart disease and stroke in gout patients.
Diabetes
The chronic inflammation caused by gout is believed to be the major risk factor for developing diabetes in gout patients. Additionally, both of these conditions share some common risk factors including increased body weight, high cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure.
In addition to these serious ailments, gout patients might also experience problems like sleep apnea and depression. Therefore, it is important to treat this condition before it leads to major complications.
