Can You Die From Lupus Disease?
According to the Lupus Foundation of America, 85 percent of those diagnosed with this disease can expect to live normal lives. The other 15 percent of individuals suffer from chronic lupus symptoms and other diseases, which contribute to earlier deaths reported in this group.
Other People Are Reading
-
What Is Lupus?
-
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints and organs of the body. The most prevalent symptoms are a butterfly-shaped rash on the face, sores in the mouth, fatigue and swollen joints.
Associated Diseases
-
Many patients who have lupus also have one or more of the following diseases, some of which are life threatening: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogren's Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Disease, heart disease, diabetes, Kidney Disease, Celiac Disease, Fibromyalgia, Crohn's Disease and cancer.
-
Prescription Medication Problems
-
Some of the prescription medications that are given to lupus patients have severe side effects, such as inhibiting the body's immune system from fighting off illnesses. Other medications may cause life-threatening diseases, such as cancer.
Causes of Death
-
When a person who has lupus dies, her death certificate will often list another cause of death other than lupus. Frequent causes of death include pneumonia, heart disease, kidney disease and cancer. The secondary cause of death is then listed as lupus.
Early Detection
-
The early detection of this disease can go a long way in extending the lifespan of someone with lupus. While there are serious side effects associated with lupus medications, the benefits often outweigh the negative aspects of taking the drugs.
Death Rate Statistics
-
According to the Center for Disease Control, the number of those dying from lupus and lupus related diseases is on the rise. A study that ran from 1979 to 1998 showed that lupus deaths increased from 879 per year at the beginning of the study to 1,406 at the end of the study.
-
References
- Photo Credit Dreamstime.com
