Jim Belushi, Savient And CreakyJoints Team Up To Shift The Conversation About Gout

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., May 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim Belushi, Savient Pharmaceuticals and patient advocacy group CreakyJoints have released a new online video to encourage candid discussion about gout, an age-old and often misunderstood condition. The actor and performer has suffered from gout for more than 15 years and is an advocate within the gout community who aims to raise awareness and encourages education around the condition. The video, released on Gout Awareness Day, features a roundtable discussion with real-world experiences and physician perspective on the condition.

To view the video and other multimedia content, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/61423-shift-conversations-about-gout-awareness-day-resources/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130522/MM00127)

"Gout is a difficult condition to understand unless you or someone you're close to has experienced it," said Belushi, "We hope that this effort will inspire people with gout to speak up and have similarly candid conversations about gout online, in their local communities and with their doctors. We have to start shifting the gout conversation to focus on medical realities instead of outdated perceptions."

A chronic and progressive condition, gout occurs when a high level of uric acid in the blood causes crystals to form and accumulate in and around the joints which can cause painful gout "flares." Symptoms of a gout flare often include tenderness, swelling and severe pain to the affected joint. Over time, the uric acid can buildup to cause tophi, which are lumps and bumps that form under the skin. If left untreated or not optimally managed over time, gout can progress to a more severe form which can lead to bone destruction and deformity.

"Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affecting roughly eight million people in the U.S.," said Dr. Jonathan Krant, a rheumatologist and the Medical Director of CreakyJoints, "People with gout present on a spectrum of severity, but given the progressive nature of the condition and the comorbidities commonly associated with gout, it's important that patients work with their doctor to get their uric acid level under control."

The partnership urges people affected by gout to start shifting the gout conversation on Gout Awareness Day by tweeting their experiences with the hash tag, #NotJustGout.

ABOUT CREAKYJOINTS
CreakyJoints helps those with arthritis better manage their condition and lead healthier, happier lives. We produce education, wellness, and exercise programs -- teaching arthritis patients about the latest treatment advances and how to holistically combat their conditions (focusing on knowledge, fitness, and spirit). We provide treatment information, advice from physicians, nutritionists and dietitians, physical fitness experts, and health psychologists. Visit www.creakyjoints.org to learn more.

ABOUT SAVIENT PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products in the rheumatology space.  

SVNT-G

Contact:

Media Relations
Camille Scott
Rx Mosaic Health 
[email protected]
(212) 336-7528

SOURCE Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.