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. We never sell or share your email address. All rights reserved. Always consult your doctor about your medical conditions. Use of the site is conditional upon your acceptance of our terms of use. There's no cure, but symptoms can improve if treatment starts early.
Lupus, also called systemic lupus erythematosus, is not always easy to diagnose because it can be similar to other conditions. Symptoms include inflammation of different parts of the body including the lungs, heart, liver, joints and kidneys.
The GP will usually do some blood tests. High levels of a type of antibody, combined with typical symptoms, means lupus is likely. You might be referred for X-rays and scans of your heart, kidney and other organs if the doctor thinks they might be affected. Once lupus is diagnosed, you'll be advised to have regular checks and tests, such as regular blood tests to check for anaemia and urine tests to check for kidney problems.
Lupus often flares up relapses and symptoms become worse for a few weeks, sometimes longer. Symptoms then settle down remission. The reason why symptoms flare up or settle down is not known. Lupus was once much more deadly. Researchers say the survival rate for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus SLE has improved for many reasons. These include:. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disorder. In people who have lupus, the immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues, which causes pain, swelling and organ damage, among other symptoms.
Kidney failure used to be the most common cause of lupus mortality. Evidence suggests that active disease causes about a third of lupus deaths, while complications of the disease or its treatment especially corticosteroids and immunosuppressants cause about two-thirds of lupus deaths.
Lupus complications are increasingly related to aggressive treatments. These treatments can extend a patient's life considerably, but their side effects may eventually take a health toll. The severity of your lupus factors into your life expectancy. It's been shown that people with more severe lupus tend to have shorter lifespans. A diagnosis of severe lupus does not necessarily mean an early death. A study published in found the life expectancy of women with lupus nephritis has improved so much that it now approaches that of the general population.
The bottom line: Don't lose hope. You can live a full lifespan with a lupus diagnosis. Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Global trend of survival and damage of systemic lupus erythematosus: meta-analysis and meta-regression of observational studies from the s to s. Semin Arthritis Rheum. What is systemic lupus erythematosus lupus? Updated June Mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus: Causes, predictors and interventions. Expert Rev Clin Immunol.
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