hyperuricemia
Meaning of hyperuricemia: Hyperuricemia is an elevated blood level of uric acid that can result from increased production, reduced excretion, or both.
Definition of hyperuricemia
Hyperuricemia is a condition in which the blood contains a higher than typical concentration of uric acid, a waste product formed when the body breaks down compounds called purines, which come from both the body's own cells and certain foods. Uric acid is normally filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and eliminated in urine.
Hyperuricemia develops when the body produces more uric acid than the kidneys can clear, when the kidneys excrete uric acid less efficiently than normal, or from a combination of both. Contributing factors include diet, certain medications, kidney disease, and conditions in which cells break down rapidly, such as some blood cancers or their treatment.
Sustained hyperuricemia is the underlying cause of gout, in which uric acid crystals form within joints and trigger inflammation, though many people with hyperuricemia never develop gout or other symptoms related to the elevated level.
Used in a sentence
Laboratory testing revealed hyperuricemia in the patient being evaluated for joint pain.
Good to know
Hyperuricemia does not always cause symptoms, and many people with an elevated uric acid level never develop gout or another condition related to it.
Word origin
Where “hyperuricemia” comes from
Formed from Greek hyper-, meaning excessive, combined with uric acid and the suffix -emia, from Greek haima, meaning blood.