Uric Acid in Blood

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.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS	Last Updated: October 31, 2007
Medical Review:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Stanford M. Shoor, MD - Rheumatology
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