Gout Pharmacotherapy in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review of Utility and Outcomes

Am J Cardiovasc Drugs. 2021 Sep;21(5):499-512. doi: 10.1007/s40256-020-00459-1. Epub 2020 Dec 28.

Abstract

Hyperuricemia and gout have been linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease, stroke, hypertension, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, possibly through a proinflammatory milieu. However, not all the drugs used in gout treatment improve CV outcomes; colchicine has shown improved CV outcomes in patients with recent myocardial infarction and stable coronary artery disease independent of lipid-lowering effects. There is resurging interest in colchicine following publication of the COLCOT, LoDoCo, LoDoCo2, LoDoCo-MI trials, and COLCORONA trial which will shed light on its utility in COVID-19. Our aim is to review the CV use of colchicine beyond pericardial diseases, as well as CV outcomes of the available gout therapies, including allopurinol and febuxostat. The CARES trial and its surrounding controversies, which lead to the US FDA 'black box' warning on febuxostat, in addition to the recent FAST trial which contradicts this and finds febuxostat to be non-inferior, are discussed in this paper.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / complications*
  • Colchicine / adverse effects
  • Colchicine / therapeutic use*
  • Febuxostat / adverse effects
  • Febuxostat / therapeutic use
  • Gout / drug therapy*
  • Gout / etiology*
  • Gout Suppressants / adverse effects
  • Gout Suppressants / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Hyperuricemia / drug therapy
  • Hyperuricemia / etiology
  • Pandemics

Substances

  • Gout Suppressants
  • Febuxostat
  • Colchicine