TY - JOUR T1 - Role of uric acid in hypertension, renal disease, and metabolic syndrome JF - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine JO - Cleve Clin J Med SP - 1059 LP - 1064 VL - 73 IS - 12 AU - Marcelo Heinig AU - Richard J. Johnson Y1 - 2006/12/01 UR - http://www.ccjm.org/content/73/12/1059.abstract N2 - Hyperuricemia has long been known to be associated with cardiovascular disease, and it is particularly common in people with hypertension, metabolic syndrome, or kidney disease. Most authorities have viewed elevated uric acid as a secondary phenomenon that is either innocuous or perhaps even beneficial, since uric acid can be an antioxidant. However, recent experiments have challenged this viewpoint. In this paper we argue that uric acid is a true risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, we suggest that the recent increased intake in the American diet of fructose, which is a known cause of hyperuricemia, may be contributing to the current epidemic of obesity and diabetes. ER -