Find resources. Get answers. Our Work. Get Involved in Research. For Researchers. Research News. Advocacy for Research. Make a Donation Now. Give Monthly. Give In Memory or Honor. Other Ways to Give. Be a Corporate Partner. Shop and Support. Walk to End Lupus Now. Start a Fundraiser. Create a Tribute Page. Livestream to End Lupus. Race to End Lupus. Advocate with Us. Legislative Successes. Spread Awareness. These better outcomes are thought to be the result of earlier diagnosis, and improvements in lupus-specific treatments.
In the past, death tended to be the result of the disease itself. Now, death is more often due to a heart attack, stroke, or side effects of the drugs taken to control lupus, such as a fatal infection in someone taking immunosuppressants. While the rates of death in the U. There are several steps you can take to improve your chances of avoiding major organ damage and other conditions that shorten life expectancy when you have lupus. The number one thing you can do is educate yourself about lupus and learn how it affects you personally.
This allows you to communicate better with your health care team. Other steps you can take include:. Your doctor may also recommend certain lifestyle changes to help you better control your lupus, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, not smoking, and resting when you are tired.
By providing your email address, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. Learn more about lupus triggers and how to control your symptoms on the Managing Lupus page. Early diagnosis and effective treatments can help reduce the damaging effects of SLE and improve the chance to have better function and quality of life. Poor access to care, late diagnosis, less effective treatments, and poor adherence to therapeutic regimens may increase the damaging effects of SLE, causing more complications and an increased risk of death.
These limitations experienced by people with SLE can impact their quality of life, especially if they experience fatigue. Fatigue is the most common symptom negatively affecting the quality of life of people with SLE. Adherence to treatment regimens is often a problem, especially among young women of childbearing age 15 to 44 years.
Because SLE treatment may require the use of strong immunosuppressive medications that can have serious side effects, female patients must stop taking the medication before and during pregnancy to protect unborn children from harm. Women with lupus can safely get pregnant and most will have normal pregnancies and healthy babies. SLE is diagnosed by a health care provider using symptom assessments, physical examination, X-rays, and lab tests. SLE may be difficult to diagnose because its early signs and symptoms are not specific and can look like signs and symptoms of other diseases.
Because diagnosis can be challenging, it is important to see a doctor specializing in rheumatology for a final diagnosis. SLE can affect people of all ages, including children. However, women of childbearing ages—15 to 44 years—are at greatest risk of developing SLE. Most people with SLE do not have family members with the disease; however, some people with SLE do have a family history of the disease. Men and women with an immediate family member with SLE have only a slightly higher risk for the disease.
Treating SLE often requires a team approach because of the number of organs that can be affected. SLE treatment consists primarily of immunosuppressive drugs that inhibit activity of the immune system. Hydroxychloroquine and corticosteroids e. Incidence and prevalence are terms commonly used to describe how many people have a disease or condition.
CDC uses the latest available data for important research questions. Vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels, can cause some headaches.
Lupus can lead to a variety of symptoms in the mouth. Mouth sores, also known as oral lesions or ulcers, are among the most common symptoms and occur in around 4 to 45 percent of people with lupus. Drugs used to treat lupus, such as corticosteroids, can sometimes cause the side effects of mouth dryness, cold sores , swelling, and yeast infections.
Many people with lupus develop skin problems, and rashes or sores are very common. Up to 70 percent of individuals with lupus are sensitive to ultraviolet UV rays in sunlight. A butterfly-shaped rash appears across the cheeks and nose in around 40 percent of people.
This rash is usually either blotchy or red and slightly raised across the whole area. Blood disorders are common in people with lupus. Red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet disorders occur frequently.
Heart disease is not only a major complication of lupus but also the leading cause of death among people with the disease. People with lupus are more susceptible to coronary heart disease , as they often have more risk factors, such as high blood pressure , high cholesterol , and type 2 diabetes. Around 50 percent of people with lupus experience lung problems. Inflammation can affect the lungs, the lining of the lungs, lung blood vessels, and the diaphragm, causing:.
Lupus that affects the kidneys is called lupus nephritis. It is thought that around 1 in 3 people with lupus might develop this disease. Kidney disease can increase the risk of potentially fatal conditions, such as heart attack and stroke, and might progress to complete kidney failure. The gastrointestinal system stretches from the mouth to the anus.
It includes the organs that digest food and drink and dispose of waste. Many people with lupus experience gastrointestinal problems, as an effect of the disease and a side effect of the treating medication.
For more than half of people who develop lupus, joint pain is one of the first symptoms they may experience. More than 90 percent of people with lupus have joint and muscle pain at some stage of the condition. Other muscles and bone issues arise from lupus, including tendonitis , bursitis , carpal tunnel syndrome , and osteoporosis.
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