The chances of heart attack or stroke are 'significantly' higher in gout patients who have a flare-up of symptoms, a new study says, with the odds of suffering a 'cardiovascular event' highest in the four months afterwards.
Gout, a type of arthritis where small crystals form inside and around joints that causes severe pain and swelling. The condition has been linked to heart and circulatory diseases, but the link between gout and "cardiovascular events" has not previously been studied.
One to two people in every 100 in the UK are affected, with the condition more common in men over 30 and women after the menopause.
