Gout: Colchicine linked to reduced CV risk

Gout patients may use colchicine to reduce inflammation during flareups, but new findings suggest it could also offer them protection from heart-related problems. The rheumatoid disease underlying gout creates a vulnerability to atherosclerosis; however, research shows that patients taking colchicine experience fewer cardiovascular (CV) events and lower overall mortality than similar patients who do not take it. The investigators pulled retrospective data from health records spanning 2006–11.