Shedding Light on Lupus Lupus is a disease that attacks thousands of Americans each year. Most of the victims are women of childbearing age.
"Lupus is more common among women than among men, but it is not clear why. Four types of lupus exist - systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), discoid lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus erythematosus and neonatal . Of these, SLE is the most common and severe lupus, "said the Mayo Clinic.
The cause of SLE is unknown. Some say that lupus is triggered by medication or a virus that lies dormant in the body until it is activated by sunlight, physical or mental stress, streptococcal or viral infections, pregnancy and certain chemicals.
"Lupus is an autoimmune disease, meaning that instead of just attacking foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses, your immune system also turns against healthy tissue. This leads to inflammation and damage to different parts of the body, including joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain, "explained the Mayo Clinic.
The symptoms of SLE vary and include: rheumatoid nondeforming (pain and stiffness in joints, particularly the hands and feet), facial erythema (skin rash or butterfly that spreads through the nose and cheeks), light sensitivity, mouth ulcers or nasopharyngeal, Raynaud's phenomenon (fingers or toes turn white or blue when exposed to cold for short periods of stress), breath, pain in chest, anxiety, depression and memory loss.
"From drug-induced lupus results of long-term use of certain prescription drugs. Although many medications can potentially trigger lupus, examples of drugs most clearly linked to the disease include the antipsychotic chlorpromazine, high blood pressure medications such as hydralazine, isoniazid, and tuberculosis drugs for the heart medication procainamide, among other . It usually takes several months or years of treatment with these drugs before symptoms appear, and even then only a small percentage of people will never develop lupus, "revealed the Mayo Clinic.
If untreated, the inflammation caused by lupus can affect many parts of the body, damaging blood vessels, kidneys, lungs, heart and bones.
About 50 percent of patients develop cardiovascular abnormalities such as pericarditis and dyspnea (breathlessness). Other complications include myocarditis (heart inflammation), endocarditis (inflammation of the membrane lining of the heart or valves) and pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs). Lupus can also affect the central nervous system and lead to emotional instability, psychosis, irritability and depression.
There is no way to prevent lupus, but many drugs can relieve symptoms. Treatment depends on the signs and symptoms. See a good doctor who will explain the benefits and risks of these drugs.
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Posted on February 20, 2010.
