Gout patients often present with gouty arthritis and joint deformities caused by uric acid crystals. Symptoms such as local redness, swelling, heat, and pain may occur. If a large amount of urate is deposited under the skin for a long time, subcutaneous nodular tophi will form. They are usually of different sizes and asymmetrical, ranging from as small as sesame seeds to as large as eggs. The edges are not neat, and they are prone to ulceration and non-healing. It is common in metatarsophalangeal joints, external ears, heels, fingers, ankles, roots of feet, wrists, elbows, etc., which will limit activities and joint functions. Long-term uric acid crystals can also cause erosion of bones, causing hole-like defects in bone and joints, causing joint disability and disability, and then causing hyperuricemia, the main biochemical indicator of gout. In addition, in addition to the possibility of developing gout, it can also promote the occurrence and progression of arteriosclerosis and lead to the occurrence and progression of hypertension and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
The current mainstream uric acid-lowering drug in clinical practice is febuxostat, but it should be noted that taking febuxostat should be done in accordance with the instructions or under the guidance of a doctor. The initial clinical dose of febuxostat is 20 mg, otherwise it is easy to induce gout or aggravate gout symptoms. After taking the drug for 4 weeks, the dose can be gradually adjusted under the guidance of a doctor according to the patient's uric acid level. There are currently two types of febuxostat in China, one is an imported original drug, and the other is a domestic generic drug. Since the original drug is the reference preparation and generic standard for domestic drugs, its price is relatively high.