New research offers a compelling reason for gout patients to adhere to preventive medication regimens. A large-scale study published in JAMA Internal Medicine has found that effectively lowering uric acid levels to target ranges is linked to a significantly reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death. The findings underscore the importance of proactive gout management not only for alleviating joint pain but also for broader cardiovascular health, especially for those already at higher risk.
Preventive medications used to manage gout are linked to a significantly lower risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with the condition, according to a new study.
Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis worldwide, affecting approximately 2% of people in Western countries. The disease causes sudden, excruciatingly painful attacks as joints become swollen and tender.
These intense pain episodes are caused by uric acid crystals forming in and around the joints. Preventive medication aims to lower uric acid levels in the blood to a specific target – below 360 micromol/L – a level known to reduce the frequency of gout flares. Understanding the link between gout and cardiovascular health is crucial, as both conditions often coexist and can significantly impact overall well-being.
Gout is also associated with a substantially increased risk of heart attack and stroke. However, it remained unclear whether successfully managing gout with medication would also translate to a reduction in the risk of serious cardiovascular events.
Improved Cardiovascular Health Seen with Treatment
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, analyzed data from 109,504 gout patients in the United Kingdom with an average age of 62 who had recently started medication for their condition.
Participants were divided into two groups based on their treatment outcomes after 12 months: those who achieved the target uric acid level (360 micromol/L or lower) and those who did not, maintaining higher uric acid levels.
The results showed that participants who reached the target uric acid level experienced fewer gout attacks and also had a significantly lower risk of experiencing a heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death over a follow-up period of up to five years.
The connection between successful gout medication and reduced cardiovascular risk was particularly pronounced in individuals who initially had the highest risk of heart disease.
More Patients Should Be Offered Treatment, Researchers Say
Mats Dehlin, a rheumatologist and adjunct professor in rheumatology and inflammation research at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, explained the findings:
“The results of our study are very positive and demonstrate that patients with gout who are prescribed the correct dose of uric acid-lowering medication have a significantly lower risk of heart attack or stroke,” he stated.
The research was conducted by scientists at the University of Gothenburg, in collaboration with colleagues in Italy and the United Kingdom, and led by the University of Nottingham. Dehlin added:
“We need to offer preventive treatment to more patients with gout and ensure they reach the target level. This not only reduces gout attacks but also lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke.”
Study: Cardiovascular outcomes of treat-to-target urate-lowering treatment in gout: an emulated target trial using primary-care, hospitalisation and mortality records from England, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.7453
Expert Contact: Mats Dehlin, adjunct professor at the Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and specialist physician in rheumatology at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, tel. 0732 52 04 51, e-mail, [email protected]
Press Contact: Margareta G. Kubista, tel. 0705 30 19 80, e-mail [email protected]
Press Image: Mats Dehlin (photo: Johan Wingborg)
Sahlgrenska Academy is the medical faculty of the University of Gothenburg, offering education and research in medicine, dentistry and health sciences, www.gu.se/sahlgrenska-akademin
