Gout May Signal Higher Stroke Risk in AF

In a nationwide Finnish cohort, patients with atrial fibrillation and gout had higher ischemic stroke rates, while urate-lowering therapy was associated with lower stroke rates.

By
Andrea Surnit
June 26, 2026
4 min

Conexiant

At a Glance

Category	Detail
Condition	Atrial Fibrillation with Gout
Key Mechanisms	Higher ischemic stroke risk associated with gout in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Target Population	Patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation and a history of gout.
Care Setting	Nationwide cohort study using the Finnish Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) registry.

Key Highlights

Patients with gout had a 12% higher rate of ischemic stroke than those without gout.
During non-anticoagulation periods, gout was associated with a 26% higher stroke rate.
Urate-lowering therapy was linked to a 30% lower stroke rate among patients with gout.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

Consider gout in addition to conventional risk scores for stroke risk stratification.

Management

Support for guideline-recommended urate-lowering therapy for gout.

Monitoring & Follow-up

Monitor stroke rates in patients with gout and atrial fibrillation.

Risks

Patients with gout frequently have comorbidities that increase stroke risk.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Patients with atrial fibrillation and a history of gout.

Urate-lowering therapy may reduce stroke rates in this population.

Clinical Best Practices

Assess cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities in patients with gout and atrial fibrillation.
Evaluate the need for urate-lowering therapy in patients with gout.