Cheap drug commonly prescribed on NHS for gout could slash risk of heart attack and stroke

A low dose of a cheap drug commonly used to treat gout could significantly slash the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with existing heart problems, according to new research.

Colchicine, a medicine for treating inflammation and pain, is a first-line treatment for gout on the NHS – a form of arthritis that causes sudden and severe joint pain.

A comprehensive Cochrane review analysed 12 trials involving 22,983 people with a history of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Some 11,524 participants were given a low dose of colchicine – 0.5mg once or twice a day.

Researchers found that people with cardiovascular disease – a general term for conditions impacting the heart and blood vessels – who used colchicine for at least six months were less likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

“Reductions like this can make a real difference for patients who live with ongoing, lifelong cardiovascular risk,” Dr Ramin Ebrahimi, co-lead author from the University Medicine Greifswald in Germany, said.

The review suggests that for every 1,000 people treated, there were nine fewer heart attacks and eight fewer strokes compared to people not taking colchicine.

However, those on the drug were more likely to experience side effects relating to their stomach or digestive system, although these were mild.

“These results come from publicly funded trials repurposing a very old, low-cost drug for an entirely new use,” Lars Hemkens, senior author from the University of Bern in Switzerland, said.

“It shows the power of academic research to reveal treatment opportunities that traditional drug development often overlooks.”

How colchicine works

According to the NHS, colchicine works by reducing the inflammation caused by the crystals of uric acid that build up in your joints when you have gout.

This also helps to reduce pain.

Colchicine comes as 500 microgram tablets, but the exact dose varies from person to person.