If you need to know which are the uric acid reference ranges or you require more information about the role of uric acid in the blood, you can visit normal uric acid level in the blood
High uric acid level in the blood, called hyperuricemia, requires follow-up.
Uric acid is the final product of the purines metabolism present in the food. Uric acid is excreted in the urine after being filtrated in the kidneys. There are two types of hyperuricemia.
Primary hyperuricemia can be idiopathic (with not known reason) or hereditary. In many cases, it is caused because the renal excretion of uric acid is lower than normal. A 1% of the people with primary hyperuricemia have an enzymatic disorder related to the purines metabolism that increase the uric acid production.
Secondary hyperuricemia can be caused by an excessive purine intake, kidney failure, myeloproliferative diseases, hemolytic diseases, psoriasis, polycythemia vera, alcohol abuse, lead poisoning, starvation or chemotherapy.
The uric acid excess in the blood can create crystals. If these crystals are accumulate in the joints may cause gout, a painful disease related to the inflammation of the joints. Gout attacks occur suddenly and are very painful. The big toe, the knee or the ankle are the most commonly joints involved.
These crystals may also formed kidney stones, especially if the pH of the urine is low (pH < 5).
Uric acid values are usually given in mg/dl but sometimes you can see those values in nmol/l following the International System of Units (SI). In case your values are in nmol/l you can convert them using this tool:
Your uric acid level is a bit high. The possibility of suffering a gout attack is low. Only about 0.5 to 3.5% of people with this level of uric acid in the blood will suffer a gout attack in the following years.
It is advisable to follow a balanced diet to reduce the uric acid level avoiding food rich in purines and cut down on alcohol intake, including wine and beer.
Your uric acid level in the blood is moderately high. About 7 or 8 % of the people with moderate hyperuricemia will experiment a gout attack in the following years if the level is not reduced.
It is advisable to follow a low-purine diet, avoid alcohol drinking and increase the water intake to excrete more acid uric in the urine.
Your uric acid level in the blood is very high. More than 90% of people with marked hyperuricemia will experiment a gout attack in the following 5 years. For that reason, you should visit your doctor. He will give you a strict diet that you must follow and maybe medication to reduce your uric acid level.
Medication is usually given when there is a previous gout attack or kidney stones or if the uric acid level in the blood is above 13 mg/dl in men and 10 mg/dl in women.
There are some health circumstances or drugs than can raise your uric acid in the blood:
There are different diseases why the uric acid level in the blood can be higher than normal:
If your uric acid level in the blood is too high you can consider the next tips:
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The following values are considered to be above the normal range:
IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in mg/dl They are an example of a healthy man of about 45 years old with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.
Uric acid | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild hyperuricemia | |||||||
| 7.3 mg/dl | 7.4 mg/dl | 7.5 mg/dl | 7.6 mg/dl | 7.7 mg/dl | 7.8 mg/dl | 7.9 mg/dl | 8 mg/dl |
| 8.1 mg/dl | 8.2 mg/dl | 8.3 mg/dl | 8.4 mg/dl | 8.5 mg/dl | 8.6 mg/dl | 8.7 mg/dl | 8.8 mg/dl |
| 8.9 mg/dl | 9 mg/dl | ||||||
| Moderate hyperuricemia | |||||||
| 9.1 mg/dl | 9.2 mg/dl | 9.3 mg/dl | 9.4 mg/dl | 9.5 mg/dl | 9.6 mg/dl | 9.7 mg/dl | 9.8 mg/dl |
| 9.9 mg/dl | 10 mg/dl | ||||||
| Marked hyperuricemia | |||||||
| 10.1 mg/dl | 10.2 mg/dl | 10.3 mg/dl | 10.4 mg/dl | 10.5 mg/dl | 10.6 mg/dl | 10.7 mg/dl | 10.8 mg/dl |
| 10.9 mg/dl | 11 mg/dl | 11.1 mg/dl | 11.2 mg/dl | 11.3 mg/dl | 11.4 mg/dl | 11.5 mg/dl | 11.6 mg/dl |
| 11.7 mg/dl | 11.8 mg/dl | 11.9 mg/dl | 12 mg/dl | 12.1 mg/dl | 12.2 mg/dl | 12.3 mg/dl | 12.4 mg/dl |
| 12.5 mg/dl | 12.6 mg/dl | 12.7 mg/dl | 12.8 mg/dl | 12.9 mg/dl | 13 mg/dl | 13.1 mg/dl | 13.2 mg/dl |
| 13.3 mg/dl | 13.4 mg/dl | 13.5 mg/dl | 13.6 mg/dl | 13.7 mg/dl | 13.8 mg/dl | 13.9 mg/dl | 14 mg/dl |
| 14.1 mg/dl | 14.2 mg/dl | 14.3 mg/dl | 14.4 mg/dl | 14.5 mg/dl | 14.6 mg/dl | 14.7 mg/dl | 14.8 mg/dl |
| 14.9 mg/dl | 15 mg/dl | 15.1 mg/dl | 15.2 mg/dl | 15.3 mg/dl | 15.4 mg/dl | 15.5 mg/dl | 15.6 mg/dl |
| 15.7 mg/dl | 15.8 mg/dl | 15.9 mg/dl | 16 mg/dl | 16.1 mg/dl | 16.2 mg/dl | 16.3 mg/dl | 16.4 mg/dl |
| 16.5 mg/dl | 16.6 mg/dl | 16.7 mg/dl | 16.8 mg/dl | 16.9 mg/dl | 17 mg/dl | 17.1 mg/dl | 17.2 mg/dl |
| 17.3 mg/dl | 17.4 mg/dl | 17.5 mg/dl | 17.6 mg/dl | 17.7 mg/dl | 17.8 mg/dl | 17.9 mg/dl | 18 mg/dl |
| 18.1 mg/dl | 18.2 mg/dl | 18.3 mg/dl | 18.4 mg/dl | 18.5 mg/dl | 18.6 mg/dl | 18.7 mg/dl | 18.8 mg/dl |
| 18.9 mg/dl | 19 mg/dl | 19.1 mg/dl | 19.2 mg/dl | 19.3 mg/dl | 19.4 mg/dl | 19.5 mg/dl | 19.6 mg/dl |
| 19.7 mg/dl | 19.8 mg/dl | 19.9 mg/dl | 20 mg/dl | ||||
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