You’ve just had another gout flare-up, and now you’re wondering if this condition could affect more than your joints. Could gout be hurting your heart, too? Researchers say yes. Gout has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels), including heart failure and heart attacks.

A form of inflammatory arthritis, gout is marked by sudden, intense pain, swelling, and discoloration in the joints. The condition often starts in the big toe and spreads to other joints over time. Gout affects about 4 in every 100 U.S. adults.

“Gout is so blasted painful,” one MyHeartDiseaseTeam member wrote. Another replied, “I had a bad case of gout in my right foot that lasted about a week, mostly ending a few days ago — probably because of the diuretic I’m taking.”

Read on to discover how gout and heart disease may be linked and what you can do to manage gout and protect your heart health.

What Causes Gout and What Are Its Symptoms?

Gout happens when uric acid collects in the blood, forming sharp crystals shaped like needles in the joints. Uric acid can build up if your body makes too much of it or if your kidneys can’t get rid of it fast enough. Common symptoms of gout include:

• Sudden, intense joint pain, often in the big toe but also in the ankles, elbows, knees, wrists and fingers
• Swelling, tenderness, and discoloration in the affected joint
• Limited range of motion as gout worsens
• Lingering discomfort that may last for days or weeks

These symptoms usually hit without warning and can come and go over time.

What Raises the Risk of Gout?

Your doctor may not be able to pinpoint the reason you have gout, but certain factors may increase your risk.

Sex

Gout is more common in men than in women, according to Mayo Clinic. Compared with women, men naturally tend to have higher levels of uric acid. Women are more likely to develop gout after menopause, when uric acid levels begin to rise.

Race

A large national study analyzing U.S. data from 2007 to 2016 found that Black adults were more likely to have gout than white adults. The researchers looked at several reasons for this difference, such as:

• Higher rates of obesity (high body weight) and chronic kidney disease — two major risk factors for gout — especially among Black women
• Lower adherence to healthy eating patterns, such as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which is known to help reduce gout risk
• Greater use of diuretics (water pills), particularly among Black men

Diuretics are often used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and heart failure. Although they help the body get rid of extra fluid, they also make it harder to flush out uric acid — raising the risk of a gout flare.

The authors also noted that social factors like poverty and limited access to healthy food options may contribute to these differences.

Other Risk Factors

Certain lifestyle habits and health conditions can raise the risk of gout. You may be more likely to develop gout if you:

• Drink alcohol excessively
• Eat a diet high in purines (found in red meat, organ meats, and certain types of seafood)
• Have high blood pressure or diabetes
• Have a family history of gout
• Take certain medications, such as diuretics

How Is Gout Diagnosed?

Gout is diagnosed by your healthcare provider based on your symptoms, medical history, and test results. They might ask what your diet is like, how much alcohol you drink, and whether anyone in your family has gout.

To confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes of joint pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis or certain infections, your doctor may perform one or more of these tests:

• Joint fluid test — A small amount of fluid is taken from the swollen joint and examined under a microscope to check for urate crystals.
• Blood test — This measures uric acid levels in your blood. High levels can point to gout, but not everyone with high uric acid develops the condition.
• Imaging tests — Ultrasound or X-rays may be used to look for urate crystal buildup or joint damage caused by repeated gout flares.

How Is Gout Treated?

There’s no cure for gout, but it can be managed with a combination of medication and lifestyle changes. The goal of gout treatment is to relieve pain during flares and prevent future attacks.

It’s a good idea to meet with a rheumatology provider (a doctor who specializes in joint and autoimmune conditions). They can help you create a personalized treatment plan to manage your symptoms and keep flares under control.

Your healthcare provider may recommend:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen or naproxen — Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines that help reduce pain and swelling
• Allopurinol — A prescription medication that lowers uric acid in the blood
• Colchicine — A prescription drug that can reduce pain and inflammation if taken at the first sign of a flare
• Corticosteroids — Prescription medications (a type of synthetic hormone) that help calm the immune system and reduce inflammation
• A low-purine diet — An eating plan that limits food high in purines to help lower uric acid levels

Does Gout Make You More Likely To Have Heart Disease?

The short answer is yes — research shows a link between gout and an increased risk of heart disease. People living with gout are often more likely to develop a variety of cardiovascular conditions, including:

• Coronary artery disease (narrowed arteries that can lead to a heart attack)
• Heart failure (inability of the heart to pump blood effectively)
• Heart rhythm abnormalities, such as atrial fibrillation (a condition that can raise the risk of stroke)

A large-scale study published in 2021 found that people living with gout had a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to those without gout. This increased risk persisted even after the researchers accounted for other cardiovascular risk factors. In another study, participants were significantly more likely to have a stroke or heart attack within four months of a gout flare-up.

Researchers aren’t yet sure exactly why gout and cardiovascular disease risk are linked. One possible explanation is that both conditions share many of the same risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Another theory is that the uric acid crystal buildup in gout may increase inflammation and damage blood vessels, leading to heart problems. However, more studies are needed to confirm this.

Is It Common To Have Both Gout and Heart Disease?

Although not everyone with gout will develop heart disease, these two conditions often exist together. People who have gout are more likely to have heart problems than people without gout.

Women with gout have an 88 percent higher risk of cardiovascular issues compared with men who have gout, according to a 2024 study in The Lancet Rheumatology. This means their relative risk — how much more likely they are to develop heart problems compared with men — is nearly doubled. The researchers also found that among people with gout, those who are younger than 45 have more than double the risk of heart problems compared with those who are older. This higher risk includes up to 12 types of cardiovascular disease.

How Can You Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease if You Have Gout?

If you’re living with gout, you can take steps like these to reduce your risk of heart disease:

• Manage your uric acid levels — Work with your healthcare provider to keep your uric acid levels under control through medication, diet, and lifestyle changes.
• Exercise regularly — Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week if your cardiologist says it’s safe for you. However, during a gout flare, try to rest the affected joints.
• Eat a gout-friendly, heart-healthy diet — Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins while limiting some foods high in purines and saturated fat. Studies show that dairy products, coffee, and vitamin C may protect you from gout as well.
• Control other health conditions — Managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes is key to protecting both your heart and your joints.
• Limit alcohol intake — Drinking too much alcohol, especially beer and spirits, can trigger gout attacks and increase heart disease risk.
• Stay hydrated — Drinking water throughout the day helps flush out excess uric acid and supports overall health.
• Talk to your doctor about medications — Some gout medications, such as allopurinol and colchicine, may also have cardiovascular benefits. Discuss treatment options with your doctor.

It’s important to tell your cardiologist about any joint issues you’re experiencing, including gout. They can coordinate with your rheumatologist (a doctor who specializes in joint, muscle, and bone diseases) or other providers to make sure your treatment plans work safely together.

Talk to Others Who Understand

MyHeartDiseaseTeam is the social network for people with heart disease and their loved ones. On MyHeartDiseaseTeam, more than 62,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with heart disease.

Are you living with both gout and heart disease? How do your conditions affect each other? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.