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Dr Mark Kennedy - Private Internal Medicine Specialist
Private Service, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Liver), Respiratory
Gout
Patient information:
Gout is an acutely painful, disabling form of arthritis associated with the accumulation of monosodium urate crystals in the joints and soft tissues.
With good treatment, acute episodes of gout can be controlled. Medications that exacerbate gout should be avoided to reduce the likelihood of further episodes of gout. Other exacerbants can be recognised and their intake minimised.
More importantly, regular prophylactic treatment with carefully administered allopurinol can gradually be introduced to prevent destruction of the joints and the accumulation of urate in the tissues (tophi). Tophi can regress with treatment.
Uric acid kidney stones can also be prevented in many cases.