| With auto immune diseases, the body's cells, | | | | |
| which are healthy, are attacked by the immune | | | | The early phases of SLE, in which the |
| system's antibodies. This is also the case of | | | | patients don't experience severe symptoms, |
| systemic lupus erythematosus, a disease that | | | | determine the treatment to direct its power |
| also exposes the affected people to other | | | | to the prevention of the complications that |
| severe health problems generated by the | | | | come with this disease. In case of a violent |
| malfunction of the immune system. | | | | form of lupus, the treatment's attention |
| Musculoskeletal disorders, like arthritis or | | | | turns to the blockage of the immune system's |
| osteoporosis; heart, liver, kidney and lung | | | | attacks on the organism. |
| conditions; affections of the nervous system | | | | |
| and those of the skin, such as lupus rash, | | | | The usually prescribed treatments for |
| are much more severe and dangerous for | | | | systemic lupus erythematosus are |
| patients with lupus than for healthy people. | | | | corticosteroids, antimalarials, NSAIDs and |
| | | | cytotoxic medicines. When the blockage of |
| Systemic lupus erythematosus has a | | | | malign antibodies production is necessary, |
| chameleonic nature, and its gallery of | | | | biologic medications are used. Very |
| possible symptoms is enormous and difficult | | | | frequently used are also analgesics and |
| to identify, because most of them are not | | | | sedatives. In the particularly severe cases, |
| specific. This is what makes this disease so | | | | the treatment for lupus may also involve |
| hard to diagnose. The symptoms themselves | | | | powerful antibiotics. |
| generate possible errors of diagnosis and the | | | | |
| correct one cannot be achieved only by means | | | | Antimalarials are used in order to diminish |
| of the patient's declarations. It takes more | | | | the inflammations and the lesions on the skin |
| than that and the response leads to the | | | | generated by the disease and have good |
| results of laboratory analyses. Once the | | | | results for systemic lupus erythematosus as |
| diagnosis is confirmed, the adequate | | | | well as for discoid lupus erythematosus. |
| treatment will be immediately prescribed, | | | | |
| according to the patient's particular case. | | | | Corticosteroids are frequently used to |
| | | | control lupus by controlling the activity of |
| It is necessary for the treatment to cover | | | | the immune system in order to minimize the |
| the unpredictable nature of the disease. SLE | | | | damages produced by its malfunction. They are |
| is a continuous alternation of relapsing and | | | | extremely powerful drugs. |
| remission periods, and the treatment's goal | | | | |
| is to make the remission periods last for as | | | | Cytotoxic medicines have strong effects and |
| long as possible. The next step is the | | | | are only given in severe lupus commonly in |
| improvement of the SLE's symptoms. This | | | | association with corticosteroids. They are |
| disease doesn't go away but it may be | | | | used to block the formation of the nocive |
| prevented from causing more damage to the | | | | antibodies. |
| person it affects and this can only be | | | | |
| achieved with proper treatment. The fact that | | | | NSAIDs have as main goal to decrease the |
| lupus is a strongly chronic disorder implies | | | | inflammation and the rigidity of the |
| that the medication must be permanently | | | | articulations and to relieve the muscular |
| administered. | | | | pain. |