It is known that the underlying cause of gout is an accumulation of uric acid crystals, while the crystallization of uric acid relates to its high level in the blood. (image: Pixabay)
SEOUL, Sep. 13 (Korea Bizwire) – Gout is well known for causing excruciating pain to its patients even when breeze touches their skin. Especially, the middle-aged and the elderly are prone to this painful experience; the number of its patients is steadily on the rise.
According to the latest statistics from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), the number of gout patients who received medical treatment amounted to 201,665 in 2009 and 292,109 in 2013, indicating a 44.8 percent jump over five years and an average annual increase of 9.7 percent.
When taking gender into consideration, men are more susceptible to the disease than women. For instance, the number of male patients is 266,378, which are over ten times larger than that of female patients.
It is known that the underlying cause of gout is an accumulation of uric acid crystals, while the crystallization of uric acid relates to its high level in the blood.
Professor Lee Chan-hee of the NHIS Ilsan Hospital said, “Gout occurs in sturdy middle-aged men who drink heavily. If the level of uric acid is getting higher, the symptoms of gout appear, thereby causing pains to those in their late 40s.”
Professor Lee pinpointed, “You should maintain an appropriate level of uric acid to prevent your body from being attacked by gout. The disease has a strong association with the consumption of alcohol, so you should be careful not to drink too much.”
By Eugene Yu (eugene@koreabizwire.com)
