Heart drug that can ease the pain of gout

THE agony of gout could be alleviated by a new heart disease drug.

Scientists at Harvard Medical School in the U.S. noticed a significant reduction in gout flare-ups in heart attack survivors who were treated with the anti- inflammatory drug canakinumab. This targets a key molecule involved in inflammation. The painful arthritic condition, where crystals of uric acid build up in the body and collect in and around joints, especially in the feet, often occurs alongside cardiovascular disease.

The acute pain arises from the inflammatory response to the crystals in the joints.