Gout is a painful Omen of Cardiovascular Disease.

Due to a whole host of Lifestyle Choices, Gout and Cardiovascular Disease share many of the same risk factors.

When the pH of the body becomes too acidic as in high levels of Uric Acid, a wide range of poor health conditions and diseases start to present themselves. In the case of Gout, Acidosis is obvious; too much Uric Acid in the blood causes the well-recognized and unmistakable symptom of a Gout Attack.

As discussed in Part One and Part Two of the series, acid waste buildup and oxidation corrode and degrade the cell walls and bring on the state of Acidosis. The purpose of this article is to draw more focus to the cells that make up the Cardiovascular System and how an over acidic inner body condition and the oxidation of those cell walls bring on Heart Disease complications.

The question is whether the poor performance of the Cardiovascular System contributes to the condition of too much Uric Acid and Gout, or vise-versa.

The most important point to call attention to is the Endothelium. The Endothelial Cells line the entire Cardiovascular System; the Heart, Arteries, Veins and even the finest Capillaries. The Endothelium is a "one cell thick", smooth lining that is the most important organ for the health of the whole Cardiovascular System.

Once thought to be only a membrane to confine the blood to the Circulatory System, studies and research over the last 25 years have proved that the Endothelium is vital to many other metabolic and immune response functions, especially in regards to the performance of the Cardiovascular System.

The most important role that the Endothelial Cells play is in the production of Nitric Oxide. While a potentially dangerous Free Radical, it is also one of the most important signaling molecules in the body. Nitric Oxide is key in controlling Blood Pressure, prevents Blood Clots, and Systemic Inflammation.

An over-acidic body condition and cell membrane oxidation create the type of damage and corrosion that lead to the arteries becoming stiff and hard, (arteriosclerosis) and the build up of plaques. (atherosclerosis) The hardening of the arteries contributes to high blood pressure and the blockages are associated with Heart Attack and Strokes.

In either scenario, the blood carries less oxygen and that can directly cause the build up of Uric Acid in the blood stream and eventually be the cause of a Gout Attack. Poor blood oxygenation also accounts for poor functioning of many of the organs, especially the Kidneys. The result is often renal malfunction and the inadequate excretion of Uric Acid which also is the cause of painful Gout Attacks.

More attention is now being drawn to the link between Sleep Apnea and Gout in regards to low blood oxygen saturation and the build up of Uric Acid in that process. More testing is needed to correlate the prevention or decrease in the incidence of Sleep Apnea and/or Gout and improved levels of blood oxygenation. A large body of information has already been compiled to lend testimony to confirm that connection.

In conclusion; the question, which contributes to or causes the other - Gout or Cardiovascular Disease - is still inconclusive. However, there is enough evidence to support a path of prevention by:

1. Changing the body chemistry to a more alkaline pH level
2. Reducing oxidative damage with antioxidants
3. Blood oxygen saturation to reduce the production of Uric Acid and improve Renal Function and Excretion.