Clinical update on gout

Drawing on the June 2022 NICE guidance, Gout: Diagnosis and Management (NG219), this module provides a clinical update on the causes of gout and identifies those who are at higher risk of developing the condition.

Pharmacy Magazine , 13 Jan 2023 20 Min Module

20 Min

In Clinical

The module explains the symptoms of an acute attack and how it is managed, plus ways in which the risk of repeat episodes can be reduced and the incidence of complications lessened, which can be debilitating.

Key facts

Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis
Acute attacks occur due to uric acid crystals accumulating in a joint, most commonly one of the big toes, causing severe pain, redness and swelling
NSAIDs and colchicine are the two most common drug treatment options for acute episodes of gout
Left unmanaged, gout can cause long-term problems including disability due to joint damage
Allopurinol and febuxostat are the most frequently used urate lowering therapies (ULTs)

Contributing author: Asha Fowells MRPharmS MFRPSII, clinical pharmacy writer