Gout, the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, can wreak havoc on the body. The good news? It’s easily managed with the right help. Whether you’ve been recently diagnosed, care for someone suffering, or are a medical professional treating the disease, the Kicking Gout in the Acid podcast can help you learn more.
In this episode of Kicking Gout in the Acid, Dr. Larry Edwards is joined by Gout Education Society International Advisory Council member Dr. Puja Khanna, rheumatologist at the University of Michigan. The two discuss the variety of health conditions, also known as comorbidities, commonly seen alongside gout and how they can impact those with the disease.
Key Takeaways:
Gout is often associated with other metabolic diseases like obesity, kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia – it’s not simply pain in the toe.
Gout comorbidities impact the treatment of gout; for example, NSAIDs are not a good option for anti-inflammatory treatment of flares in those with kidney disease or diabetes, prompting the use of different options.
Those with gout should be on the lookout for symptoms of comorbidities and talk with their doctor to find the best treatment plan for themselves.
Education is a crucial part of gout management; when combined with self-advocacy, those with gout can reduce the disease’s burden on the body and avoid the negative complications of comorbidities.
Start your journey with gout today via the Gout Education Society website and sign up for the monthly newsletter.
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Looking for nearby gout specialists? Find rheumatologists, nephrologists and more via the Gout Specialists Network.
Educational Materials:
Gout Patient Brochure
Medical Professional Guide
Kicking Gout in the Acid is sponsored by Sobi.
Podcast Transcript
Ian PonitzHello, and welcome to Kicking Gout In The Acid, a podcast from the Gout Education Society. My name is Ian Ponitz, and I'm your host for this series. Kicking Gout In The Acid features conversations between Dr. Larry Edwards, chairman and CEO of the Gout Education Society, and experts on the disease.
Each episode will dive into important topics that you, the listener, should know about gout. The goal? To feel empowered to get gout under control.
In this episode, Dr. Edwards will be joined by Dr. Puja Khanna from the University of Michigan. The two will discuss the role of comorbidities, or related health conditions, alongside gout, how they impact the treatment of gout, and what those with gout can do to mitigate their risk. Dr. Edwards, take it from here.
Dr. Larry EdwardsThanks, Ian. I'm joined today by Dr. Puja Khanna from the University of Michigan. She is an expert in gout, gout treatment, and is also a member of our advisory council on the Gout Education Society. Puja, maybe you'd like to fill in people a little bit more about your affinity for gout?
Dr. Puja KhannaThank you so much, Dr. Edwards. For all purposes, I am a rheumatologist, but my area of expertise has been gout for close to 15, 16 years. I am a trained epidemiologist as well, so my focus has been patient-oriented outcomes. And gout seemed to be a space in rheumatology that had some work going on, but not as much as rheumatoid arthritis, versus more of the orphan diseases, which were scleroderma and lupus. And that's where I focused in on gout, which was a very common disease known to man for more than 400 years, but we still had very limited treatments, and that's what prompted me to enter the arena of clinical trials.
I've had the fortune of participating as principal investigator in a bunch of trials, including in acute gout and urate-lowering therapies for chronic gout. But where my passion lies is honestly with my patients, and I think there's a lot of stigma attached to gout, where we need more and more focus and patient advocacy. So,