Patient/caregiver was educated on side effects of elevated purines in the body as follows:
- Normal levels of uric acid produced in the body are usually excreted by the kidneys.
- Uric acid produced in excessive amounts is difficult to be excreted by the kidneys.
- This can result in reduced excretion and increased retention of uric acid in the body, excessive blood levels of uric acid, and hyperuricemia.
- Excess of uric acid in the body can crystallize in various body tissues, with consequently varying side-effects.
- Excess of uric acid in the body can crystallize in the kidneys and result in formation of uric acid stones (kind of kidney stones). Formation of kidney stones can result in symptoms such as, nausea, vomiting, low-back pain, pain and burning sensation during urination, increased frequency of urination, increased risk for urinary tract infections, poor urine output due to obstruction of urine flow by the stone, cloudy or smelly urine, fever, and chills.
- Excess of uric acid in the body can also crystallize around multiple joints, causing arthritis, pain & swelling of involved joints, with limitation of range of motion in the joints involved, and results in development of gout.
