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Health Conditions
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Lupus
What is it?
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect many organs, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. Depending on the type of lupus and the organs that are affected, the disease can be mild - as it is for most people - or very severe or even life threatening. The more body systems involved, the worse the prognosis. Diagnosis is sometimes difficult because the disease appears differently in each individual.
Lupus is classified as an autoimmune disease. Individuals with lupus have an impaired immune system that causes their bodies to produce antibodies called autoantibodies that inappropriately attack their own healthy tissues and cells. The autoantibodies contribute to the inflammation that individuals with lupus typically suffer and to the organ damage that the most serious form of lupus can cause. Why the body loses its ability to differentiate between its own normal tissue cells and foreign cells is not well understood.
You can learn about the various types of lupus by clicking on one or more of the links below:
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Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.
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What is it?
