Gout: Why, Who, When

Posted on Sep 27, 2011 in OnDemand | 1 comment

Gout: Why, Who, and When to Treat

Program Overview

Gout is not a headline-grabbing disease. People tend to think of it as something that only happens to hard-drinking portly old men in Dickens novels. They may be surprised to learn that the prevalence of gout is on the rise among Americans – particularly postmenopausal women – and that the increase is expected to continue steadily over the next decade.

Historically, gout was attributed to meat-heavy diets and alcohol consumption. However, the current increase in gout prevalence is primarily caused by increasing rates of obesity in the United States as well as a graying population with a high burden of chronic medical conditions.

This educational activity will address key risk factors, diagnostic strategies, and treatment options for gout in the primary care setting. Additional focus will be on patient education and adherence to therapy as well as managing gout in the presence of multiple comorbidities. Participants will receive a variety of tools and resources to achieve the learning objectives, including a treatment algorithm and patient education materials.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to

1. Implement effective strategies for recognizing risk factors for gout in order to know who and when to screen for it
2. Outline the recommended treatment strategies for lowering uric acid levels and preventing, minimizing, and treating acute flares of gouty arthritis
3. Design individualized gout management plans that include patient education and adherence to therapy

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