Man suffers multiple organ failure due to mistake in gout treatment

GĐXH – The patient was diagnosed with gout in 2016 on the basis of high blood pressure and diabetes. However, this person did not comply with treatment and often used painkillers to self-treat at home.

On December 31, information from the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases said that they had just received a critical case due to self-treating gout at home.

Accordingly, patient NTK (male, 48 years old, in Bac Giang) was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in a state of general exhaustion, with signs of edema and high fever lasting 39-40°C for 10 days.

Upon admission, the patient required mechanical ventilation due to severe respiratory failure. In addition, the patient showed signs of septic shock and multiple organ failure with signs of low blood pressure, rapid pulse, and rapid heart rate.

Multiple organ failure due to self-treating gout at home. Photo: BVCC.

Based on medical history, the patient was diagnosed with gout in 2016 on the basis of hypertension and diabetes but did not comply with treatment and regularly used painkillers of unknown origin.

More than 1 month before being hospitalized, the patient began to have lesions on his right ankle, but when the tumor ruptured and oozed fluid, instead of going to a medical facility, the patient self-treated at home.

At first, the patient tried to endure, however, about 10 days before being hospitalized, the condition became more serious with symptoms of continuous high fever (39-40 degrees), more pus discharge from the wound, swelling and pain, and widespread infection. Seeing the critical condition, the family took the patient to a local medical facility, then transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases for treatment.

According to MSc. Dr. Luong Huong Giang, Department of Intensive Care, the patient had injuries originating from a tumor in the ankle (the tumor is caused by uric acid crystals deposited in soft tissue after a long period of uncontrolled uric acid in the blood) - a typical sign of gout - that had ruptured. Instead of going to the hospital for proper treatment, the patient applied and injected medicine at home, leading to an increasingly severe infection.

Unforeseeable consequences of self-treating gout at home

According to Dr. Giang, for the above patient, the habit of abusing painkillers not only makes gout worse but also weakens resistance, making the body susceptible to infection and increasing the risk of dangerous complications.

Previously, the patient's joints were also deformed, creating lumps in the joints of different sizes, reducing mobility and causing chronic pain.

" If gout is not well controlled, it can lead to serious complications such as long-term uric acid deposition causing kidney damage, kidney failure or joint deformities, causing chronic pain and reduced mobility. In particular, when gout lesions become infected, the risk of severe cellulitis or sepsis is very high, threatening life, " Dr. Giang emphasized.

Through this case, experts recommend that people with gout need to have regular health check-ups, especially good control of uric acid levels in the blood to limit complications.

People with underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes need to strictly follow treatment and avoid using drugs of unknown origin on their own. At the same time, patients need to maintain a scientific diet, limit foods high in purines (such as animal organs and seafood) and practice a healthy lifestyle.

In particular, do not take or inject painkillers on your own to avoid possible unwanted complications.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/nguoi-dan-ong-48-tuoi-o-bac-giang-suy-da-tang-do-sai-lam-trong-dieu-tri-benh-gout-172241231122022496.htm