Gout is a kind of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up in the joints.

• Acute gout is a painful condition that typically affects one joint.
• Chronic gout is repeated episodes of pain and inflammation, which may involve more than one joint.

Gout is caused by having higher-than-normal levels of uric acid in your body. Your body may make too much uric acid, or have a hard time getting rid of uric acid. If too much uric acid builds up in the fluid around the joints (synovial fluid), uric acid crystals form. These crystals cause the joint to swell up and become inflamed.

Not everyone with high uric acid levels in the blood has gout.

The exact cause is unknown. Gout may run in families. It is more common in males, postmenopausal women, and people who drink alcohol. People who take certain medicines, such as hydrochlorothiazide and other water pills, may have higher levels of uric acid in the blood.

The condition may also develop in people with:

• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Obesity
• Sickle cell anemia and other hemolytic anemias
• Leukemia and similar types of disorders

The condition may occur after taking medicines that interfere with the removal of uric acid from the body.