New patient and medical professional gout information kits underscore need for increased patient diagnosis and treatment regimens

PITTSBURGH, May 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of gout patients is rising, with an estimated 8.3 million American adults diagnosed with gout—but only 10 percent of them are being properly treated, according to the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society. To heighten awareness and knowledge about gout and to lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment, the society has released two new comprehensive kits to educate patients and provide consistent information for medical professionals. The release of the Take a Stand on Gout Patient Education Kit and Medical Professional Information Kit coincides with Gout Awareness Day, an annual commemoration on May 22 to call attention to the growing incidence of gout and to enhance knowledge so as to improve patient outcomes. Both kits provide new, substantial information about gout from specialists, who treat gout patients every day.

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The Medical Professional Information Kit has been developed to leverage the new 2012 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Guidelines for the Management of Gout, released seven months ago as the first diagnosis and disease management guidelines update in 38 years.

"The new ACR Guidelines provide a central information platform for all medical professionals, who are on the front line of treating gout patients," said N. Lawrence Edwards, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Florida, and Chairman and CEO of the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society. "By promoting the latest information, we hope to help medical professionals diagnose gout disease sooner, get patients on proper treatment regimens, and improve patient outcomes."

The Medical Professional Information Kit is available through the Medical Professional portal on www.gouteducation.org, and consists of several documents and videos:

• A Gout Information Guide
• ACR Guidelines on Gout Management Parts 1 and 2
• Eight new videos featuring diagnosis and treatment perspectives from gout specialists and insights from patients on their experiences with gout
• An updated patient brochure: "Take a Stand on Gout" for distribution to patients
• A poster for placement in the waiting or exam room
• Patient version of the information kit

The Gout Information Guide will also be printed and mailed to 20,000 primary care physician practices, and distributed to physicians who request them.

"Not only will PCPs, nurse practitioners, ER physicians and staff have the latest information, but they will also start the education process with their patients and arm them with valuable information about their disease and reinforce the need for treatment compliance," said Dr. Edwards.

The Patient Education Kit, accessed through the Patient portal on www.gouteducation.org, provides several new pieces to enhance patient understanding of gout as a chronic inflammatory arthritis disease, including six education videos, "Take a Stand on Gout" patient brochure and six new downloadable fact sheets on topics such as: Frequently Asked Questions, Living Healthy with Gout, Medical Advice for Patients with Gout, Gout Medication: Dos and Don'ts, Talking with Your Doctor about Gout and Who Gets Gout and Why.

"Gout education is critical for everyone dealing with the disease," noted Dr. Edwards. "The Gout & Uric Acid Education Society is pushing out as much information as we can to ensure we treat more patients and improve their health and outcomes."

About the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society
Formed in September 2005, the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society has a comprehensive patient education brochure, as well as a user-friendly website for patients, caregivers, family members and healthcare providers. For more information about gout and the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society, please visit www.gouteducation.org. Follow @GoutEducation on Twitter or "like" Gout Education on Facebook.

SOURCE Gout & Uric Acid Education Society