Gout patients who have a flare-up of symptoms are significantly more likely to go on to suffer a heart attack or a stroke, a study suggests. Patients with gout who have a flare-up were found to have higher odds of suffering a “cardiovascular event” in the four months afterwards. Gout is a type of arthritis where small crystals form inside and around the joints. It causes sudden attacks of severe pain and swelling. In Britain, for example, one to two people in every 100 are affected, with the condition more common in men over 30 and women after the menopause. The condition has been linked to he…