Gout is a disease in which defective metabolism of uric acid causes arthritis, especially in the smaller bones of the feet, deposition of chalkstones, and episodes of acute pain.

In the U.S., gout affects nearly 6 million men and 2 million women, or about 4 percent of the population, according to the Arthritis Foundation. The buildup of uric acid can form needle-like crystals in a joint and cause sudden pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling, often in the big toe.

Source: American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/en/news/2018/08/17/gout-could-increase-heart-disease-risk