Patients who experience gout flares are at increased risk of having an MI or stroke in the next two months, suggests a study of general practice data.  

The threat, however, is only transient, lasting no longer than about four months, and the absolute risk of an event is small.  

UK researchers analysed health records for 62,500 adults (mean age 77) with a new gout diagnosis between 1997 and 2020 using the UK’s Clinical Practice Research Datalink.  

Some 10,500 patients who had experienced either a subsequent acute MI or stroke were matched with those with no record of an event.