To say the least, an “excess of everything is bad”. Hyperuricemia certainly reminds us of this good old proverb. Hyperuricemia is a serious medical condition of high uric acid concentration in the blood. The uric acid levels should be within the normal range or else it may result to many serious and unpalatable health conditions. If your uric acid crosses the normal and expected levels then you have high uric acid levels. You have high uric acid levels when your uric acid is more than 6 mg/dL if you’re a woman and greater than 7 mg/dL in the case of a man.

The main concern is to know whether hyperuricemia is dangerous or not. Hyperuricemia can be injurious and dangerous if one turns a blind eye to it as it can result in many chronic and serious diseases of essential organs like heart and kidney.

Our body excretes uric acid through urine but if the body starts making excess uric acid then it puts pressure on the kidneys to get rid of them. The body makes uric acid through purines which we receive from certain foods (seafood, red meat, some vegetables, mushrooms, alcoholic drinks, etc). An excess of uric acid means you are eating a lot of purines in your diet, thus your extra uric acid will crystallize in mostly your joints and kidneys producing pain and inflammation.

There are a few serious medical issues that are a plain result of hyperuricemia and by default, they help to determine hyperuricemia. They are as follows:

• Gout (swollen, tender and stiff joints)

• Kidney stones

• Kidney diseases and even renal failure

• Diabetes

• High blood pressure

• Cardiovascular conditions.

So what are the causes and are you at risk of hyperuricemia? Let’s see the points below.

• Obesity

• Excessive alcohol consumption

• High-purine diet ( which include alcohol, seafood, and liver meats)

• The incapability of kidneys to filter properly

• Certain medications

• Heredity

To keep your uric acid within the normal range, your doctor will recommend you some drugs or medications as a treatment. If you’ve developed other medical conditions associated with hyperuricemia, then you will be directed to the doctor respective to your condition for treatment. For instance, if you have diabetes, you will require diabetes treatment along with the treatment for hyperuricemia. You will also be required to follow a purine-restricted diet (which include healthy nuts, eggs, low-purine vegetables, and fruits) to normalize the dangerously high levels of uric acid.

Diagnosis of hyperuricemia is done by conducting blood (serum uric acid test) and urine tests.

We, at ILS Hospitals, provide diagnostic tests for high uric acid levels to our patients. ILS Hospitals is one of the best hospitals in Kolkata for diagnostic and accurate medical treatment.