Uric acid is produced by the liver to remove excess nitrogen from the body. This component is present in the blood as a sodium salt and is the final product of protein metabolism. In case of abnormal kidneys, an increase in the concentration of this substance occurs, which leads to various injuries to tissues and organs. Often, increased uric acid provokes the development of renal stone disease and kidney failure, and its excess quantity is deposited in the cartilaginous tissue and joints, leading to painful inflammatory processes.
Norms of uric acid in the body
With a normal lifestyle and a balanced diet, the human body must produce up to 600 g of uric acid daily. The third part of this amount is excreted through the intestine, and the rest is excreted together with the urine. In men, the concentration of uric acid is within the limits of 55 mg per liter, and in women this mark should not exceed 40 mg, but the onset of menopause may slightly increase this figure. It should be noted that hyperuricemia is more common in men due to non-compliance with the rules of healthy eating.
Blood chemistry
Uric acid is a very important indicator of the state of human health, so its study to date is used widely enough by specialists of various profiles. However, for more reliable indicators before taking biological material, the patient must follow certain rules. 12 hours before the uric acid test, you should refrain from eating, completely exclude all drinks except water, and give up alcohol and cigarettes. In addition, for 2-3 days, you must follow a diet that contains the minimum amount of purine. This means that the patient needs to give up beans, coffee, chocolate, red meat, liver, kidneys and tongue. Blood sampling is performed on an empty stomach, and elevated uric acid is determined by the enzymatic method, it is simple enough, reliable and convenient.
Causes of ailment
Increased uric acid can be detected even in the body of a healthy person with prolonged starvation, exercise, or the use of food rich in purines. In addition, pregnant women suffering from severe toxicosis may also experience hyperuricemia. A pathological increase in the amount of uric acid is a sign of gout - a disease in which the kidneys remove only a part of this substance, and the rest is crystallized and deposited in the eyes, skin, joints, kidneys, heart and intestines. As a rule, this disease is inherited, in other cases it develops as a result of malnutrition. Often, increased uric acid is observed with obesity, heart failure, blood diseases, hepatitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, psoriasis, eczema and pathologies of the biliary tract.
Lower the concentration of this substance can be with the help of drugs, otherwise complications such as the development of gout, deposition of stones, increased blood pressure, cardiac rhythm, development of angina pectoris and even myocardial infarction are possible.