Educate and treat to eliminate gout flares in elderly patients.

Gout flares, caused by monosodium urate crystals in joints, are debilitating and linked to poor health outcomes. Gout prevalence increases with age, but effective treatment is available even in those with associated renal, cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities. Treatment includes immediate pain relief with low-dose colchicine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or oral/parenteral corticosteroids; with parenteral corticosteroids useful in older patients. Lifelong urate-lowering therapy and patient education, are typically recommended to reduce the risk of recurring gout flares. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]