Lupus is one of the chronic inflammatory diseases characterized by involvement of several organs and systems of the body and thus leading to wide variety of symptoms. Commonly involved organs include the kidneys, lungs, heart, brain, blood cells, blood vessels, skin, joints etc. The course of the disease also varies from person to person, in some the symptoms may emerge gradually over years are usually of milder form whereas in some of the patients the symptoms worsen very fast with extensive symptoms. In most of the patients of lupus usually there is milder form of symptom which may worsen suddenly for a limited period of time (known as episodes of flare).
There are several complications associated with lupus these are kidney failure, respiratory distress, repeated attacks of convulsion, loss of memory as characterized by easy forgetfulness, lightheadedness, episodes of hallucination etc, skin rashes, heart failure, pericarditis etc.
Lupus is considered to be an autoimmune disease as characterized by abnormal functioning of the immune system of the body in which the immune system wrongly attacks body’s own cells.
Women and people with specific ethnic background like being American, African increases the risk of suffering from lupus.
Treatment options include NSAIDs, anti inflammatory agents like corticosteroids, various immuonsuppressing drugs etc.
Cause
Like other autoimmune disease in lupus the immune system wrongly stimulates production of various attacking cells of the body along with secretion of several harmful chemicals even in presence of any invading foreign agents leading to damage of the own body cells and organs.
The exact underlying cause which leads to abnormal functioning of the immune system is not known however several factors proposed to trigger the abnormal immune response have been identified. These are
1. Exposure to sunlight in susceptible persons
2. Taking certain drugs: some of commonly prescribed blood pressure lowering (antihypertensive) drugs, anti epileptic drugs etc may lead to symptoms of lupus, Drug induced lupus usually resolve following stoppage of the offending drug.
3. As such it can be said that symptoms of lupus is more common in people with certain inherent genetic factors which increase the risk of suffering from attack of lupus.
Risk factors
There are several risk factors associated with the causation of lupus. These are
1. Being women
2. Aged: lupus usually affects young people like those in between 15 and 40 years of age
3. Racial factors: these are people belonging to Asia, Africa, America including those with Hispanic background having increased susceptibility to suffer from lupus
Treatment
Treatment of lupus depends upon the stage, severity and presence or absence of complications etc. Commonly used drugs to relieve symptoms include
1. Pain killers like NSAIDs like naproxen, paracetamnol etc
2. Anti-inflammatory agents are given to suppress inflammation like hydroxyl chloroqine etc
3. Steroids like prednisolone  is given to life threatening conditions like amniotic fluid embolism,
4. Several immunosuppreassant agents namely or cyclophpshamide, azithromycin etc as these drugs are available to suppress the immune reaction
5. During an attack increased dose of drug is required along with antibiotics drugs are required.