Title:Chronic Hyperuricemia, Uric Acid Deposit and Cardiovascular Risk
Volume: 19
Issue: 13
Author(s): Davide Grassi, Livia Ferri, Giovambattista Desideri, Paolo Di Giosia, Paola Cheli, Rita Del Pinto, Giuliana Properzi and Claudio Ferri
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Uric acid, allopurinol, febuxostat, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular risk, hyperuricemia, prognosis, xanthine inhibitors, cardiovascular disease, oxypurinol
Abstract: Hyperuricemia is commonly associated with traditional risk factors such as dysglicemia, dyslipidemia, central obesity and abnormal
blood pressure, i.e. the metabolic syndrome. Concordantly, recent studies have revived the controversy over the role of circulating
uric acid, hyperuricemia, and gout as an independent prognostic factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In this regard, different
studies also evaluated the possible role of xanthine inhibitors in inducing blood pressure reduction, increment in flow-mediated dilation,
and improved cardiovascular prognosis in various patient settings. The vast majority of these studies have been conducted with either
allopurinol or its active metabolite oxypurinol, i.e. two purine-like non-selective inhibitors of xanthine oxidase. More recently, the
role of uric acid as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and the possible protective role exerted by reduction of hyperuricemia to normal
level have been evaluated by the use of febuxostat, a selective, non purine-like xanthine oxidase inhibitor. In this review, we will report
current evidence on hyperuricemia in cardiovascular disease. The value of uric acid as a biomarker and as a potential therapeutic target
for tailored old and novel “cardiometabolic” treatments will be also discussed.
