Gout

= ~Gout~ = toc By: Julie

=~__About the Disease__~= Gout is a disorder that causes a swollen joint. This happens when there is an increased amount of uric acid that crystalizes around the joint. It is most commonly found at the base of the big toe, but could also affects kneels, knees, wrists and fingers. Many lifestyle choices and dietary causes increase the uric acid in your blood. This will increase your chances of getting gout. To lower the uric acid in your system, avoid large consumptions of alcohol, fructose-sweetened drinks, meat and seafood.

Many people experience tophi with this disease. A tophus is a lump made of crystalized uric acid that forms on a joint. These occur to people that have abnormally high concentrations of uric acid for a considerably long period of time. Sometimes tophi can break through the skin and have a white or yellowish-white appearance.

__~Molecular Basis of Disease~__
Uric acid is a heterocyclic compound that comes from the breakdown of purine nucleotides. It consists of the elements carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen. Its formula is C5H4N4O3. Uric acid can forms ions and salts. These ions and salts are called urates and acid urates. Gout forms due to the lack of excretion of urate. Purine can be found in a lot of meats, seafood and beer. With a large intake of this foods, you will have more purine in your body. This means you have more uric acid which could increase your chances of developing gout.

~__Treatment__~
Because a main cause of gout is from certain things in your diet, making sure you choice the right foods will help you decrease your chances of getting gout. Many drugs can be used to lower your uric acid levels while other can be used to prevent gout altogether. To decrease the pain when you have a gout attack, you can apply ice for 20 to 30 minutes several times a time.

~__Works Cited__~
[] [] [] [] toc