Serum Uric Acid as Cardiovascular Disease Marker: Premises and Promises

Uric Acid (UA) is the final product of the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO) in the purine metabolism. The enzyme, XO linked to oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and heart failure in humans. Clinically, an association of hyperuricemia with hypertension, diabetes, renal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been observed over the years. With the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes worldwide, co-existing hyperuricemia is getting more focused attention than ever before. Despite its proposed protective role against aging and oxidative stress, epidemiological studies revealed an association between altered levels of serum uric acid (SUA) and various multi-factorial disorders such as hypertension, gout, dyslipidemia, obesity, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and renal disease etc. Therefore, manipulation of SUA levels is now either included in, or being investigated for, the treatment of CVD including stroke. The role of SUA as an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) and cerebrovascular ischemic stroke (CVIS) has been previously discussed, though this association has been under keen observation in view of conflicting reports. Here we discuss the recent progress in our understanding about the clinical conditions which are related to SUA in MI and CVIS diseases. Also we describe here the possible involvement of SUA in monitoring, prognosis and therapy of these diseases which is not delved so far.