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Uric Acid in Blood

(continued)

What To Think About

Having a high uric acid level does not mean that you have gout. If your uric acid level is high and you do not have any other symptoms, you will not need to take any medicine to decrease your uric acid level.
A high level of uric acid in the blood does not always mean that a person with a painful joint has gout. Testing the fluid taken from an affected joint for the presence of uric acid crystals is the only sure method to diagnose gout. For more information, see the medical test Joint Fluid Analysis.
Uric acid may also be measured in urine. If your blood uric acid level is high, a 24-hour urine collection may help determine whether your body is producing too much uric acid or your kidneys are not getting rid of enough of it. For more information, see the medical test Uric Acid in Urine.
Uric acid blood levels vary from day to day. The level is usually higher in the morning and lower in the evening.
Blood uric acid levels that increase during pregnancy, even if the levels remain within the normal range, may help diagnose preeclampsia.

Related Information

Uric Acid in Urine

Other Works Consulted
Chernecky CC, Berger BJ (2008). Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 5th ed. St. Louis: Saunders.
Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2009). Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Pagana KD, Pagana TJ (2010). Mosby’s Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, 4th ed. St. Louis: Mosby.

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Richa Dhawan, MD - Rheumatology
Last Revised	December 9, 2010

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WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: December 09, 2010

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.