Patient/caregiver was educated on secondary hyperuricemia as follows:

Elevated uric acid levels in the blood is called hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia in the body can be due to the following reasons –

Secondary hyperuricemia

• Secondary hyperuricemia is due to increased levels of uric acid in the body, due to reasons other than increased protein consumption.
• This condition can be due various factors as follows:
• Diuretic use:
  • Uric acid produced in the body is soluble in water, dissolved in body fluids, and is ultimately excreted in the urine.
  • Individuals using high doses of diuretics can have large volumes of fluid loss in urine.
  • Individuals low on fluids can have an issue with dissolving and excreting the uric acid produced.
  • This can result in progressively increased retention of uric acid in the body and secondary hyperuricemia.
• Stress:
  • The steroid hormone cortisol essentially helps with stress relief and management.
  • Chronic unrelieved stress in individuals can result in increased secretion of cortisol, as a measure for stress management.
  • Increased cortisol secretion in the body can result in the side-effect of protein breakdown.
  • Increased protein breakdown in the body results in increased production of purines, which upon metabolism yields increased uric acid production and consequently, lead to secondary hyperuricemia.
• Artificial sweeteners:
  • Fructose corn syrup, an artificial sweetener made from corn, contains high amounts of purines.
  • Increased consumption of beverages and drinks containing high amounts of fructose corn syrup can result in increased production of uric acid and secondary hyperuricemia.