Question
My name is Michele and I am writing because my 70 year old father cannot get answers from his physician. Dad is an open heart patient, onset diabetic, is on blood thinners because of blood clot in his body, he has double vision for the second time, a few other things but the main reason I’m writing to to ask about his gout, He had gout a year ago and was given medication, well when he felt better he quit taking the medication, now it came back, he’s back on the medicine Allopurinal, however he wants to know how long he has to take it? Forever? If you cannont answer the question because of liability, could you send me to an information web site I can trust?
Answer
Look at the gout article on this website. Gouty arthritis is caused when uric acid crystals accumulate in blood, come out of solution and deposit in the joint causing an intense inflammation reaction. There are many causes for the accumulation of uric acid (hyperuricemia). Included are genetic (the genes you were born with), kidney failure, heart failure, medications. Gouty arthritis is prevented by decreasing the level of uric acid in the blood with the use of allopurinol. Since the causes of your father’s hyperuricemia will not go away, likely your father will need allopurinol indefinitely. Put another way, forever.
