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The complications of lupus

When lupus is not properly treated and goes uncontrolled, it menaces the life of the patient, because its complications are extremely severe and dangerous. Lupus may affect:

• * The central nervous system – affected by lupus, it generates memory problems, fluctuating behavior, seizures, dizziness or headaches.
• * Lungs – a person with lupus is significantly more at risk for pleurisy, which will cause pain in the breathing process, or of non-infectious pneumonia.
• * Kidneys – they are extremely affected by lupus that can cause damage to these organs and even death because of a kidney failure. There are no symptoms that may announce kidney problems, but they can be discovered by means of urinalysis, blood tests, kidney biopsy or serum creatinine level – which is the blood test that verifies the renal function.
• * Heart – the heart problems generated by lupus include myocarditis and endocarditis, which are inflammations of the heart's muscles, coronary vasculitis which represents artery damage and pericarditis, a damage exerted on the heart membrane. People with lupus are more predisposed to heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems; to prevent that you should control you cholesterol level, blood pressure, quit smoking and have exercises.
• * Blood and blood vessels – lupus makes blood vessels inflamed (vasculitis), causes anemia and increases the risks of hemorrhage and other blood problems.
• * The death of bone tissue – also known as avascular necrosis, this complication consists in small breaks on the interior of a bone caused by the insufficient blood supply and will finally lead the bone to collapse. This disease appears most of the time in the articulation of the hip and may be generated not only by lupus but also by some medicines used to defeat it, like corticosteroids administered in high doses.
• * Infection – the immune system is affected both by lupus and drugs like cytotoxics and corticosteroids, which decreases the organism's resistance to infections. Lupus and infection are constantly worsening one another.
• * Cancer – lupus makes a person more exposed to lymph system cancer, liver and bile duct cancer and even lung cancer. The same risks are also increased by the treatment of lupus based on immunosuppressants.

Younger women are also exposed to another series of complications, such as the following:

• * Possible pregnancy problems, generated by the fact that lupus often worsens during pregnancy; it also brings hypertension, kidney problems, premature birth or diabetes risks.
• * Limited contraceptive alternatives resulting from the intolerance of women with lupus to intrauterine devices and several types of oral contraceptives.
• * The possibility of a miscarriage in the initial or the last stages of the pregnancy. These risks can be minimized with the proper treatment.