Reducing the Cardiovascular Risks Associated With Gout

Abstract

Gout has increasingly been linked to the development of numerous cardiovascular diseases and cardiac events. The inflammatory processes underlying the pathophysiology of many cardiovascular diseases are similar or identical to those responsible for gout. This article will discuss the pathogenesis of gout, the inflammatory processes that drive it, and the similar process seen in numerous cardiovascular diseases. By viewing gout as a symptom of systemically high levels of inflammation and a possible harbinger of cardiovascular diseases, we can decrease the risk of development of associated cardiovascular conditions and adverse cardiac events. This review will also investigate possible inflammatory markers that can act as drug targets to decrease inflammation, ameliorate symptoms, and reduce the risk of heart disease.