What is it about?
People with gout have a higher risk of heart problems, including blockage of heart vessels and heart rhythm problems. We found for the first time that one of the treatments for gout, allopurinol that lowers the uric acid, which is the basic problem in gout, also lowers the risk of most common heart rhythm problem called atrial fibrillation (AF). As the allopurinol dose was increased, the risk of AF was reduced more and more.
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Why is it important?
We asked whether allopurinol use by people with gout can also lower the risk of the AF, in addition to helping the joints and reducing painful gout flares. While these findings need to be replicated by other people, our study shows that there may be additional potential benefits of treating gout with allopurinol. Untreated AF increases the risk of stroke.
Perspectives
The reason for this higher risk of heart problems in a disease of joints is unclear. I hope that the article can raise awareness among primary care and family practice physicians with regards to treating gout appropriately with long-term allopurinol, given potential benefits for the heart. More than anything else, I hope you find this article thought-provoking.
Dr. Jasvinder A. Singh
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Allopurinol and the risk of atrial fibrillation in the elderly: a study using Medicare data, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, May 2016, BMJ,
DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2015-209008.
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