Increased uric acid level is found in?

IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg Entrance-2017

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: IGNOU PB Bsc Nsg Entrance-2017

Explanation

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis directly caused by hyperuricemia, which is an elevated level of uric acid in the blood.
Hyperuricemia is clinically defined as serum uric acid levels exceeding 7 mg/dL in males and 6 mg/dL in females.
The excess uric acid crystallizes into monosodium urate, which deposits in joints (most commonly the big toe) and soft tissues, triggering a painful inflammatory response.
This condition results from an overproduction of uric acid or the kidneys' inability to excrete it sufficiently.

Option A: Wilson's disease is a genetic disorder related to copper metabolism, not uric acid. It leads to an accumulation of copper in the body, particularly in the liver and brain.
Option B: Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory condition that can develop after a streptococcal infection. Its diagnosis relies on markers of inflammation and infection like elevated Anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titers, ESR, and CRP, not uric acid levels.
Option C: Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. It is not associated with high uric acid; in fact, some research suggests a link between low uric acid levels and an increased risk of Parkinson's.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Pathophysiology of Gout and Hyperuricemia as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Patient education is a key nursing role in managing gout. This includes teaching about dietary restrictions (low-purine diet), the importance of hydration, and medication adherence to prevent acute attacks and long-term complications.
Nurses must monitor for complications of chronic hyperuricemia, such as the formation of tophi (nodules of urate crystals) and urolithiasis (uric acid kidney stones), which can lead to renal damage.
What if? If a patient with a history of gout presents with severe flank pain and hematuria, the nurse should have a high index of suspicion for uric acid kidney stones. The priority actions would be pain management, increasing fluid intake, and preparing the patient for diagnostic tests like a renal ultrasound or CT scan.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key clinical finding presented in the question stem: 'Increased uric acid level'.
Recognize this finding as hyperuricemia, a specific biochemical abnormality.
Systematically review each of the given options, which are all distinct medical conditions.
Evaluate each condition based on its known pathophysiology and characteristic lab findings.
Eliminate options that are unrelated to uric acid metabolism. Wilson's disease (copper), Rheumatic fever (post-streptococcal inflammation), and Parkinson's disease (dopamine deficiency) do not fit.
Select the option that is defined by hyperuricemia. Gout is the classic example of a disease caused by high uric acid levels.

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