BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuUric acid - blood Gout - uric acid in blood; Hyperuricemia - uric acid in bloodUric acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down substances called purines. Purines are normally produced in the body and are also found in some foods and drinks. Foods with a high content of purines include liver, anchovies, mackerel, red meat, shellfish, dried beans and peas, and beer.Most uric acid dissolves in blood and travels to the kidneys. From there, it passes out in urine. If your body produces too much uric acid or does not remove enough of it, you can get sick. A high level of uric acid in the blood is called hyperuricemia.This test checks to see how much uric acid you have in your blood. Another test that can be used to check the level of uric acid is a test of your urine.Uric acid is a test of your urineThe uric acid urine test measures the level of uric acid in the urine. The uric acid blood level can be checked using a blood test.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Most of the time, blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. Drawn from a veinVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test You should not eat or drink anything for 4 hours before the test unless told otherwise. Many medicines can interfere with blood test results.Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines before you have this test. DO NOT stop or change your medicines without talking to your provider first. Why the Test is Performed This test is done to see if you have a high level of uric acid in your blood. High levels of uric acid can sometimes cause gout or kidney disease.GoutGout is a type of arthritis. It occurs when uric acid builds up in the blood and causes inflammation in the joints. Acute gout is a painful conditio...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You may have this test if you have had or are about to have certain types of chemotherapy. Rapid destruction of cancerous cells or weight loss, which may occur with such treatments, can rapidly increase the amount of uric acid in your blood. Normal Results Normal values are 3.0 to 7.1 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) for women and 4.0 to 8.6 mg/dL for men.For patients being treated for gout, the goal uric acid is either less than 6 mg/dL or 5 mg/dL based on clinical factors.Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.The example above shows the common measurement range for results for these tests. Some laboratories use different measurements or may test different specimens. What Abnormal Results Mean Greater-than-normal levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia) may be due to:Acidosis AcidosisAcidosis is a condition in which there is too much acid in the body fluids. It is the opposite of alkalosis (a condition in which there is too much ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Alcohol (ethanol) consumption Chemotherapy-related side effects Dehydration Diabetic ketoacidosis Diabetic ketoacidosisDiabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening problem that affects people with diabetes. It occurs when the body starts breaking down fat at a r...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Excessive exercise Fructose consumption Hyperparathyroidism Hypothyroidism HypothyroidismHypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone. This condition is often called underactive thyroid....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lactic acidosis Lactic acidosisLactic acidosis refers to lactic acid build up in the bloodstream. Lactic acid is produced when oxygen levels become low in cells within the areas o...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Lead poisoning Lead poisoningLead is a very strong poison. When a person swallows an object that has lead in it or breathes in lead dust, some of the poison can stay in the body...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Leukemia LeukemiaLeukemia is a type of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue in the center of the bones, where blood cells are ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Medicines such as cyclosporine, diuretics, nicotinic acid, salicylates (low dose), tacrolimus Medullary cystic kidney disease Obesity ObesityObesity means weighing more than what is healthy for a given height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. It can lead to other health problems, i...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Polycythemia vera Polycythemia veraPolycythemia vera (PV) is a bone marrow disease that leads to an abnormal increase in the number of blood cells. The red blood cells are the most af...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Psoriasis PsoriasisPsoriasis is a skin condition that causes skin redness, silvery scales, and irritation. Most people with psoriasis have thick, red, well-defined pat...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Purine-rich diet Renal failure Renal failureAcute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Toxemia of pregnancy Toxemia of pregnancyPreeclampsia is high blood pressure and signs of liver or kidney damage that occur in women after the 20th week of pregnancy. While it is rare, pree...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Vitamin B12 deficiencyVitamin B12 deficiencyAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. There are man...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lower-than-normal levels of uric acid may be due to:Fanconi syndrome Fanconi syndromeFanconi syndrome is a disorder of the kidney tubes in which certain substances normally absorbed into the bloodstream by the kidneys are released int...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hereditary diseases of metabolism HIV infection HIV infectionHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a person becomes infected with HIV, the ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Low purine diet Medicines such as atorvastatin, captopril, enalapril, fenofibrate, losartan, probenecid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) secretionSyndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic ...Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is a condition in which the body makes too much antidiuretic hormone (ADH). ADH is ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Other reasons this test may be performed include:Chronic kidney disease Chronic kidney diseaseChronic kidney disease is the slow loss of kidney function over time. The main job of the kidneys is to remove wastes and excess water from the body...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Gout Injury of the kidney and ureter Injury of the kidney and ureterInjury to the kidney and ureter is damage to the organs of the upper urinary tract.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis)Kidney stonesA kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesDalbeth N. Clinical features and treatment of gout. In: Firestein GS, McInnes IB, Koretzky GA, Mikuls TR, Neogi T, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein & Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 97.Edwards NL. Crystal deposition diseases. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 252.Weisbord SD, Palevsky PM. Prevention and management of acute kidney injury. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 29.AllVideoImagesTogBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationUric acid crystals - illustration These spiked rods are uric acid crystals photographed under polarized light. Increased uric acid blood levels and formation of uric acid crystals in the joints are associated with gout.Uric acid crystalsillustrationBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationUric acid crystals - illustration These spiked rods are uric acid crystals photographed under polarized light. Increased uric acid blood levels and formation of uric acid crystals in the joints are associated with gout.Uric acid crystalsillustrationA Closer Look High blood pressure - InDepth(In-Depth)Gout - InDepth(In-Depth)Kidney stones - InDepth(In-Depth)Self Care Kidney stones - self-care Tests for Uric acid - blood Uric acid - blood Uric acid urine testBlood differential testRelated Information Gout(Condition)Metabolism(Special Topic)Acidosis(Condition)Alcohol use disorder(Condition)Diabetes(Condition)Hypoparathyroidism(Condition)Lead poisoning(Poison)Kidney stones(Condition)Polycythemia vera(Condition)Acute kidney failure(Condition)Gout - InDepth(In-Depth)Alcohol use disorders - InDepth(In-Depth)Diabetes - type 1 - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 4/1/2025 Reviewed By: Diane M. Horowitz, MD, Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. 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Uric acid - blood Gout - uric acid in blood; Hyperuricemia - uric acid in bloodUric acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down substances called purines. Purines are normally produced in the body and are also found in some foods and drinks. Foods with a high content of purines include liver, anchovies, mackerel, red meat, shellfish, dried beans and peas, and beer.Most uric acid dissolves in blood and travels to the kidneys. From there, it passes out in urine. If your body produces too much uric acid or does not remove enough of it, you can get sick. A high level of uric acid in the blood is called hyperuricemia.This test checks to see how much uric acid you have in your blood. Another test that can be used to check the level of uric acid is a test of your urine.Uric acid is a test of your urineThe uric acid urine test measures the level of uric acid in the urine. The uric acid blood level can be checked using a blood test.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Most of the time, blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. Drawn from a veinVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test You should not eat or drink anything for 4 hours before the test unless told otherwise. Many medicines can interfere with blood test results.Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines before you have this test. DO NOT stop or change your medicines without talking to your provider first. Why the Test is Performed This test is done to see if you have a high level of uric acid in your blood. High levels of uric acid can sometimes cause gout or kidney disease.GoutGout is a type of arthritis. It occurs when uric acid builds up in the blood and causes inflammation in the joints. Acute gout is a painful conditio...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article You may have this test if you have had or are about to have certain types of chemotherapy. Rapid destruction of cancerous cells or weight loss, which may occur with such treatments, can rapidly increase the amount of uric acid in your blood. Normal Results Normal values are 3.0 to 7.1 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) for women and 4.0 to 8.6 mg/dL for men.For patients being treated for gout, the goal uric acid is either less than 6 mg/dL or 5 mg/dL based on clinical factors.Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.The example above shows the common measurement range for results for these tests. Some laboratories use different measurements or may test different specimens. What Abnormal Results Mean Greater-than-normal levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia) may be due to:Acidosis AcidosisAcidosis is a condition in which there is too much acid in the body fluids. It is the opposite of alkalosis (a condition in which there is too much ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Alcohol (ethanol) consumption Chemotherapy-related side effects Dehydration Diabetic ketoacidosis Diabetic ketoacidosisDiabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening problem that affects people with diabetes. It occurs when the body starts breaking down fat at a r...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Excessive exercise Fructose consumption Hyperparathyroidism Hypothyroidism HypothyroidismHypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone. This condition is often called underactive thyroid....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lactic acidosis Lactic acidosisLactic acidosis refers to lactic acid build up in the bloodstream. Lactic acid is produced when oxygen levels become low in cells within the areas o...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Lead poisoning Lead poisoningLead is a very strong poison. When a person swallows an object that has lead in it or breathes in lead dust, some of the poison can stay in the body...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Leukemia LeukemiaLeukemia is a type of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue in the center of the bones, where blood cells are ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Medicines such as cyclosporine, diuretics, nicotinic acid, salicylates (low dose), tacrolimus Medullary cystic kidney disease Obesity ObesityObesity means weighing more than what is healthy for a given height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. It can lead to other health problems, i...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Polycythemia vera Polycythemia veraPolycythemia vera (PV) is a bone marrow disease that leads to an abnormal increase in the number of blood cells. The red blood cells are the most af...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Psoriasis PsoriasisPsoriasis is a skin condition that causes skin redness, silvery scales, and irritation. Most people with psoriasis have thick, red, well-defined pat...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Purine-rich diet Renal failure Renal failureAcute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Toxemia of pregnancy Toxemia of pregnancyPreeclampsia is high blood pressure and signs of liver or kidney damage that occur in women after the 20th week of pregnancy. While it is rare, pree...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Vitamin B12 deficiencyVitamin B12 deficiencyAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. There are man...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lower-than-normal levels of uric acid may be due to:Fanconi syndrome Fanconi syndromeFanconi syndrome is a disorder of the kidney tubes in which certain substances normally absorbed into the bloodstream by the kidneys are released int...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hereditary diseases of metabolism HIV infection HIV infectionHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). When a person becomes infected with HIV, the ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Low purine diet Medicines such as atorvastatin, captopril, enalapril, fenofibrate, losartan, probenecid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) secretionSyndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic ...Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is a condition in which the body makes too much antidiuretic hormone (ADH). ADH is ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Other reasons this test may be performed include:Chronic kidney disease Chronic kidney diseaseChronic kidney disease is the slow loss of kidney function over time. The main job of the kidneys is to remove wastes and excess water from the body...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Gout Injury of the kidney and ureter Injury of the kidney and ureterInjury to the kidney and ureter is damage to the organs of the upper urinary tract.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney stones (nephrolithiasis)Kidney stonesA kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesDalbeth N. Clinical features and treatment of gout. In: Firestein GS, McInnes IB, Koretzky GA, Mikuls TR, Neogi T, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein & Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 97.Edwards NL. Crystal deposition diseases. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 252.Weisbord SD, Palevsky PM. Prevention and management of acute kidney injury. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 29.
