The authors of a randomised controlled study have reported that secondary outcome measures of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were higher with febuxostat than with allopurinol.1 Although prospective studies have suggested that gout is associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular disease, a causal relationship has not been firmly established.2 Nevertheless, the finding that the risk of cardiovascular events is higher in people with gout has led to investigations of the cardiovascular safety of gout therapies.1 In addition, the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has investigated reports of …