Hyperuricemia seems like quite a hefty term.
Isn’t it?
Well, to get the ball rolling, the specialists at Capitol Hospital will discuss what it is so that we know more about it and how it affects us.
Hyperuricemia is the increase of uric acid in our body and is so common among the people these days that it is no longer even considered a threat.But that is wrong. Elevation in uric acid levels is something to worry about.
WHAT IS URIC ACID AND HYPERURICEMIA?
Uric acid is the chemical acid created in the body when purines are broken down. Now the question comes what are purines? Purines are organic nitrogen-containing compounds that can be found in your routine diet. Purines are abundantly found in seafood, beans and also in alcoholic beverages like beer. The uric acid created gets mixed in the blood and goes to the kidneys and from the kidneys passes out of the body as urine.
The excess of this uric acid in the body is termed as Hyperuricemia. This can happen if your body is producing excessive uric acid or not able to dispose of it through urine.
Normal Uric acid levels in humans are 2.4-6.0 mg/dL (female) and 3.4-7.0 mg/dL (male).
CAUSES OF HYPERURICEMIA
- Genetics can be a reason for elevation in uric acid levels. If your parents have it, it means that you are more vulnerable to get
- Hypertension
- Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism
- Obesity and Diet
- Insulin resistance and iron overload.
- Diet rich in Purine
High levels of uric acid in the blood can leads to the formation of solid crystals within the joints. The joints of arms, legs etc. can be affected by this. This causes a painful condition called gout. A gout is a form of arthritis. Severe pain is experienced by people who are suffering from elevated uric acid levels especially in arms and legs joint. Redness and inflammation may also occur.
To check the levels of uric acid in the body, a simple uric acid blood test can be done. It is also termed as serum uric acid test.
Hyperuricemia in your kidneys can also lead to the formation of kidney stones. Kidney stones can cause extreme pain at irregular times. Some lumps in the skin can also be formed under the skin due to this increased uric acid levels for prolonged years.
Not only this, the elevated levels of this can also be linked to heart and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. We will discuss this in the upcoming blogs.
