Uric acid increased
and Martina Feichter, medical editor and biologistMartina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.
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If the uric acid level is high, it can have different causes: for example, a congenital metabolic disorder may be behind it. Sometimes other diseases or certain medications are also the reason for increased uric acid levels. Read more about this here: What causes uric acid to increase? What is happening in the body? What symptoms does too much uric acid cause?
When is uric acid increased?
If the uric acid is too high, it is usually due to a congenital metabolic disorder. This is called primary hyperuricemia. In other cases, the increase in uric acid levels has other triggers, for example other diseases (such as kidney dysfunction) or certain medications. Then one speaks of secondary hyperuricemia.
The excess uric acid can build up in the form of crystals in the area of joints. The body's inflammatory response to these deposits is known as gout.
Primary hyperuricemia
The genetic increase in uric acid is almost always due to impaired excretion of uric acid via the kidneys. Excessive uric acid production is only very rarely behind this, for example in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.
Secondary hyperuricemia
In secondary hyperuricemia, too, the high uric acid levels arise either through reduced excretion or increased formation. For example, the following can lead to decreased uric acid excretion:
- chronic kidney disease
- Poisoning with lead or beryllium
- Metabolic imbalances with overacidification of the blood (ketoacidoses, lactic acidoses)
- alcoholism
- certain drugs such as salicylates (such as ASA) and dehydrating agents (such as furosemide)
A secondary overproduction of uric acid can have the following causes, for example:
- Tumor diseases, especially leukemia
- Haemolytic anemia (anemia due to increased breakdown of red blood cells, for example sickle cell anemia or globular cell anemia)
- Psoriasis
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy (for cancer patients)
Even with strict fasting cures, uric acid levels can develop too high as a result.
Elevated uric acid: symptoms
Uric acid is only poorly soluble in water. So if the uric acid levels are too high, part of it crystallizes out and is deposited in joints (such as the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe). This can cause a painful, inflammatory reaction in the affected tissue. Possible triggers of such an acute gout attack are, for example, heavy alcohol consumption, fasting cures and foods with high purine content such as offal, meat, sausage, legumes or cabbage.
Gout can also become chronic. The very painful inflammatory reactions lead over time to the destruction of the affected joints. In the long term, further uric acid nodules form in the soft tissue (e.g. subcutaneous tissue, bursa, auricle) and in the bones. If the uric acid crystallizes in the urine, stones can form in the urinary tract and the kidneys can be damaged. In the worst case, this ends in progressive renal insufficiency. People who have elevated uric acid should therefore seek treatment promptly.
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