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 fellow Gout Education Society board member Dr. Brian Mandell. Dr. Mandell, Rheumatologist and Medical Educator at the Cleveland Clinic. The two discuss an overview of gout, its root cause, how it is diagnosed initially, treated over the long-term and the importance of chronic management. Dr. Edwards and Dr. Mandell also touch on the importance of education surrounding gout and its impact on improving gout flare management.
Key Takeaways:
Gout is a chronic disease that requires ongoing management to prevent flares and long-term complications.
Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment.
Long-term management focuses on lowering uric acid levels through medication.
Patients should be proactive in understanding their condition and working with their healthcare providers to achieve and maintain target uric acid levels.
Start your journey with gout today via the Gout Education Society website and sign up for the monthly newsletter.
Follow the Gout Education Society on X and Facebook
Looking for nearby gout specialists? Find rheumatologists, nephrologists and more via the Gout Specialists Network.
Educational Materials:
Gout Patient Brochure
Medical Professional Guide
Listen to episode 2, When Gout Becomes Hard to Manage - What to Expect, now.
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 is to feel empowered to get gout under control. In this episode, Dr. Edwards will be joined by Dr. Brian Mandel, a rheumatologist from the Cleveland Clinic, to provide an overview of the disease, talk more about its management, and the long-term effects on the body over time if it's not properly treated. Dr. Edwards, take it from here.
Dr. Larry EdwardsThanks, Ian. Today, I'm joined by a fellow member of the board of the Gout Education Society, Dr. Brian Mandel, from the Cleveland Clinic. Brian, let me have you introduce yourself. Just tell a little bit about your interest in gout and what you do at the Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Brian MandellThanks, Larry. Of course, it's nice to be here with you, talking about a disease that I have been fascinated with for almost as long as you have been. But my interests do go back quite a ways, which is an interesting tale. In fact, I started doing research on gout as an undergraduate in college, fascinated by the inflammatory response to urate crystals, which was quite dynamic and dramatic in rabbits. And I've moved on since to deal not so much with rabbits but much more with people. So, I have a longstanding interest in the mechanism of the disease and the treatment of the disease. And I'm currently a rheumatologist and a medical educator at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, maintaining my interest in gout with patients and clinical trials as well.
Dr. Larry EdwardsThanks, Brian. Great to have you here. I think a great place for us to start off would be with a definition of what gout is. I know that the Gout Education Society has done surveys of patients and the lay public about their thoughts on gout. There are always lots of misconceptions that a lot of people think that when there's pain going on in a joint that they have gout,
