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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Is gout preventable?

    Related Topics
    Gout Rheumatology
    • 1 answer
    • Dr Irwin Lim
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    Dr Irwin Lim

    Rheumatologist

    Irwin has been a rheumatologist in Sydney since 2003. He is a co-founder and medical director of BJC Health, which consists of a team of … View Profile

    Yes. 

    The definitive treatment for gout is to reduce the uric acid level in the blood.
    Dietary modification, with reduced eating of foods such as shellfish and offal can be helpful in cases of mild hyperuricaemia, when the levels of uric acid are not too high. Often, a major culprit is heavy alcohol intake or excessive drinking of fructose-containing cola. Reducing consumption will help.If the uric acid level is significantly elevated, dietary modification alone is not enough.  

    The most commonly used medication to lower uric acid is allopurinol, also known as Progout or Zyloprim.  The dose of allopurinol needs to be increased to sufficiently suppress the level of uric acid for this to be effective.If the uric acid level is reduced sufficiently, future gout attacks can be prevented. 

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