Causes of gout in men and women
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Gout refers to one of their metabolic diseases in the body, in which there is a buildup of uric acid and the deposition of crystals in tissues and joints. The causes of gout consist in an increased percentage of this acid in the bloodstream, which in turn is associated with excessive consumption of purines with food, or with a violation of excretion in urine and feces.
Products with a particularly high content of purines are fatty meat, fish products, animal fats, mushrooms.
Under normal conditions, uric acid (sodium urate) is a product of decomposition of purine substances, which must leave the body through the urinary system. If the process fails at any stage, then the percentage of acid in the bloodstream increases. In such cases, they speak of hyperuricemia.
The standard content of urate sodium in the female body is 0.24, and not more than 0.36 mmol / l.
The usual content of sodium urate in men is 0.3, and not more than 0.42 mmol / l.
With a high percentage of uric acid, the risk of developing a disease such as gout increases.
Common causes of gout can be determined by the following factors:
- genetic predisposition, which determines the increased production of purines by one's own organism and (or) the lowered urate sodium clearance;
- disorders of glomerular function or excretion of acid by the renal tubules;
- excessive consumption of products with purines;
- enzymatic disorders with biochemical imbalance;
- insufficient kidney function;
- taking certain medicines (caffeine, diuretics, aspirin, etc.);
- excessive passion for alcohol;
- stress, poisoning, metabolic disturbances affecting the functioning of the urinary system.
Causes of gout in men
Gout is much more likely to be sick with men than women. For example, if the total percentage of sick men is about 23%, then for women this figure is only 3%.
Male patients more often find the disease in 30-40 years. However, in recent years, gout has significantly "grown younger", and sometimes the disease can manifest itself earlier.
Why is the male population more prone to this disease?
The fact is that men tend to consume a larger total amount of food, while mainly meat and fatty foods, as well as spicy condiments, which contributes to the development of pathology. In addition, many representatives of the strong half of humanity daily use alcohol in varying amounts. All this leads to the fact that a constant high level of uric acid is created in the bloodstream, which considerably exceeds the norm. Initially, such a violation does not appear, but after a plentiful feast or nervous stress, the first attack of gout may occur.
Causes of gout in women
In women, gout is manifested much later than in men. This is due to the fact that the level of urate and the development of the disease largely control the hormones, the development of which ceases to the period of menopause. That is why the first signs of gout in women are observed only in 50-60 years.
Among the most typical causes of the disease among women are:
- Hypertension, which affects the function of the urinary system;
- primary kidney disease;
- taking medications that provoke a delay in urate sodium in the body;
- inaccuracies in the diet (overeating, eating large amounts of fatty foods, etc.);
- frequent stresses, experiences, phobias.
Often, the appearance of gout leads to other metabolic disorders - for example, diabetes mellitus.
Causes of gout on the legs
Body temperature in the lower limbs is usually lower than in other organs that are closer to the heart. For this reason, uric acid crystallization occurs primarily in the legs. Suffer knee joints, ankle joint, as well as toes (especially the big toes). Gradually, there is inflammation, which acquires a chronic course: this is how gouty arthritis develops, affecting the joints of the lower extremities.
The most common cause of gout on the legs is:
- malnutrition;
- regular use of alcohol-containing beverages;
- overweight, inactivity;
- adverse heredity;
- prolonged cooling of the lower extremities.
Sometimes inflammation in the joints can develop as a secondary disease - for example, poisoning, leukemia, diuretic drugs, heart disease, etc.
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Causes of gout at the hands
When gout is most often affected by the lower limbs, and less often - the hands. In the elbow joints, as well as in the joints of the fingers, crystals are deposited, as a result of which a deformation is observed-the appearance of gouty cones.
Gout on the hands can be provoked by joint injuries, joint operations, concomitant diseases (infectious or systemic), thiazides (diuretics), malnutrition, overwork or psycho-emotional overload.
The more pronounced the hyperuricemia, the more difficult the disease progresses. In this case, hyperuricemia can cause hematological pathologies (leukemia, lymphoma, anemia), psoriasis, etc. The cause may be genetic anomalies. However, it must be admitted that in a large number of patients the cause of gout is not amenable to clarification and remains unknown.
Causes of gout exacerbation
What can cause an exacerbation of gout:
- the use of alcohol-containing beverages (alcohol contributes to production and makes it difficult to remove sodium urate);
- overeating food forbidden by gout;
- physical overload of joints;
- injuring the affected joint;
- operative intervention on the joint;
- acute infections;
- drug therapy with diuretics, riboxin, acetylsalicylic acid;
- exposure to X-rays.
Most often, the attack develops immediately after a violation of a special diet for gout. The exacerbation can last 7-14 days, with the symptoms gradually subsiding until a period of remission occurs.
Often the causes of gout lie in bad habits that do not correspond to the generally accepted canons of a healthy lifestyle. This is the use of alcoholic beverages, overeating and improper diet, hypodynamia, excess weight, etc. Therefore, in order to prevent the development of the disease or its aggravation, it is necessary to forget about such habits forever.