Essay Lupus: Immune System and Dr. Sergio Schwartzman

     Lupus is a potentially life threatening disease that effects about 1.5 million Americans. Lupus can effect many different parts of the body. Lupus is a type of autoimmune system disorder in which the body cannot distinguish the difference between foreign antibodies and its own organs. So basically what happens is that the body ends up attacking its own organs thinking they are foreign substances. (The Lupus Foundation of America)

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause that can affect virtually any part of the body. The medical term for Lupus is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or better known as SLE. With Lupus there is a malfunction in some of the cells of the immune system. "In Lupus, the body overreacts to an unknown stimulus and makes to many antibodies, or proteins directed against body tissue. Thus, Lupus is called an autoimmune disease. ”#

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that attacks women between the ages of 15 and 40. It occurs less often in men than in women. The people affected by lupus vary depending on the country or region. In the US alone, the prevalence rate is highest among Asians of Hawaii, blacks of Caribbean origin, and Native Americans of the Sioux, Arapahoe, and Crow tribes. Lupus is a disease that affects the immune system. We can think of the immune system as an army within the body with hundreds of defenders (known as antibodies). They defend the body from attack by germs and viruses. In lupus, however, the immune system becomes overactive and creates antibodies that attack healthy tissues in the body, such as: the skin, kidneys, lungs, heart and brain.

Systemic lupus erythematosus, or simply lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease or immune system malfunction. A person's immune system normally protects the person from viruses, bacteria and other foreign materials. When a person has an autoimmune diseases like lupus, the immune system turns against itself and attacks itself.

Normally our body produces antibodies to protect against foreign antigens such as viruses and bacteria, lupus is unable to distinguish it will attack the antigens but also the healthy tissue. This will cause swelling, pain and tissue damage to joints, skin, kidney the heart and lungs. The cause of lupus is still unknown but some contributing factors are hormones, genetics, environment and medication. There is no cure for lupus only treatment for the symptoms caused by lupus.

Drug-Induced Lupus is a drug like form of Lupus that is formed by taking a certain type of drug. While the more common form of lupus develops mostly in women, Drug-Induced Lupus is mostly developed in men. Drugs that are mostly affiliated with this form of Lupus include: Hydralazine, a treatment for high blood pressure, Isoniazid, treatment for tuberculosis and Procainamide, a treatment for irregular heart beats. The similar Lupus symptoms will disappear after six months of not taking these medications.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease which can affect anyone, regardless of the age. This chronic inflammatory disease occurs when your immune system attacks its tissues by mistake as if they were germs or viruses. Lupus is very difficult to be treated since it spreads rapidly throughout your body, which is why you need to be aware of the early symptoms of this disease. The signs and symptoms of this disease differ in each individual, and they may develop suddenly or very slowly. Here are the most common early signs of lupus.

Most experts can agree that there are a number of factors that cause it; the causes of Lupus are from a combination of genetics and the environment. Sometimes people inherit what is called a “genetic predisposition” which means that they inherit the chance to eventually develop it. It is very hard to pinpoint one single source of cause that triggers Lupus like I mentioned before. Things in the environment like UV rays from the sun, or unrelated things like an infection or a pregnancy can trigger it. The symptoms of Lupus range from Extreme fatigue, headaches, photosensitivity, pain/swollen joints, and one clear indicator being a butterfly-shaped rash across the cheek or nose.

Lupus also known as Lupus Erythematosus is a long standing autoimmune disease. In an autoimmune disease the body immune system attacks itself. The inflammation that has develop by these attacks causes damage to the bodies tissue and organ. The frequently affected bodies tissue and organ are the brain, joints, skin, kidney, heart, lung, and blood vessel. Nevertheless, this disease is difficult to assess due to the widespread of affected age groups, ethnics, gender geography area and socioeconomic differences researcher and scientists cannot determine its origin. There is different form of lupus and the most common is SLE or systemic Lupus Erythematosus which affect many parts of the body, Discoid lupus erythematosus that causes skin rashes that doesn’t go away, Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus causes skin sores on parts of the body that are exposed to sun, Drug

“Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own structures” (Beattie, 2013). This means that the disease that has a slower onset, but it also has a long-term effect and the signs and symptoms will be continuous. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can affect the entire body or any organ in the body, including: the kidneys, swelling of the joints, affecting the blood vessels and the skin.

Lupus tears families apart, ruins lives, and brings pain to the affected. “[SLE] is a multisystemic, autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, which affects multiple organ systems, including the central nervous system, or CNS” (Milovancevic et al.). This disease will literally turn a person’s body against itself. It leads to excruciating pain throughout the victim’s body, as if it were on fire. The optimistic side of this coin, however, is that many pharmacologists have created medications that can nullify the effects of most symptoms. These solutions include antimalarial drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-rheumatic drugs, immunosuppressives, a type of medication called Belimumab, and corticosteroids. While anyone can use the

There are several types of lupus, but the most common and severe type is called Systematic Lupus Erythematosus or SLE. This form of lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes a chronic inflammation that can affect many major organs in the body. Common areas of the body that are affected are the skin, joints, kidneys, lungs, heart, and the nervous system. The immune system is the part of the body that fights off viruses, bacteria, and germs, and other foreign substances. The immune system produces proteins called antibodies. Antibodies specifically protect the body from the invaders because the immune system alone cannot tell the difference between foreign invaders and the body’s healthy tissues. When an antibody attacks healthy tissue, it then called an autoantibody. These autoantibodies cause inflammation, pain, and damage in various parts of the body that can ultimately lead to organ failure. The cause for lupus erythematosus is currently unknown. It is most likely a combination of genetics and environmental factors. This autoimmune disease can be triggered by some environmental factors, such as sunlight, stress hormones, or viruses.

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by its effect on various parts of the body, including the joints, skin, blood, and kidneys. It is a condition in which the body's immune system attacks its own cells and tissues, resulting in pain, inflammation, and often damage to organs. Lupus involves the immune system. The immune system makes antibodies that work to protect the body against foreign substances like viruses and bacteria. Such foreign bodies are called antigens. When a person has lupus, his or her body is unable to determine the difference between antigens and the individual's cells and body tissues. As such, the immune system creates antibodies against the individual's own tissues. These antibodies are called autoantibodies. Depending on the type of lupus, a wide range of symptoms may be experienced, from rashes, hair loss, and achy, swollen joints to fever, anemia, and abnormal blood clotting. Though the disease can affect many parts of the body, individuals usually experience symptoms in only a few organs. There is no known cure for lupus. However,

For most people, Lupus is a mild disease affecting only a few organs. For others, it may cause serious and even life-threatening problems. People with Lupus are recommended to have regular medical appointments and take medications as prescribed. One of the most frustrating things for a Lupus patient is being sick. A person can look nice and healthy although they feel very bad inside. Another challenge is that there are no treatments for the most common complaint of Lupus patients: fatigue and memory loss.

Seems Lupus is getting disobedient ... It’s time to teach it some discipline. But, before that you have to bring it in your life.