Blog 4 Tissue Disease

Tissue Disease - Systematic Lupus Erythematosus

Systematic Lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that attacks the body's immune system even though the tissue is still helathy. Lupus can affect the skin joints, kidneys, brain, and any of the other organ/tissue in the body. The cause of lupus in unknown and it actually more common in women than it is in men. There is no cure for lupus at this moment, but people can recieve treatment through drugs to help control it. Some symptoms of lupus are painful/swollen joints (arthritis), fevers, extreme fatigue, rashes across the body and photosensitivity. But each person experiences these symptoms differently in intensity as well. When a person has lupus the body's immune system turns against itself and attacks the healthy tissue, because the body produces antibodies and lymphocytes that attack the body instead of creating ones that help fight off viruses and infections. It is essential that lupus is treated and monitored carefully by a doctor in order to treat the symptoms that flare up in order to prevent any new symptoms from flaring up. It is vital that people with lupus stay healthy and exercise to maintain a healthy attitude and body. Although women are more likely to get lupus than men, men also can get it too; both women and men recieve the same treatment plan -- getting preventice health care, and get their blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked. Some statistics from the Lupus Foundation of American estimates that 1.5 million Americans and approx. 5 million people in the world have a form of lupus that usually starts to develop between the ages of 15-44. About 10%-15% of people with lupus will die from it. 1 in 3 lupus patients will also suffer from other autoimmune diseases. 

Sources:

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000435.htm

https://www.webmd.com/lupus/systemic-lupus-erythematosus#9-11

https://resources.lupus.org/entry/facts-and-statistics