Lupus erythematosus may manifest as a systemic disease or in a purely cutaneous form also known as incomplete lupus erythematosus. Lupus has four main types: systemic, discoid, drug-induced, neonatal.
Certain environmental factors have been known to cause lupus symptoms. These include:
- Extreme stress
- Exposure to ultraviolet light, usually from sunlight
- Smoking
- Some medications and antibiotics, especially those in the sulfa and penicillin groups
- Some infections, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), parvovirus (such as fifth disease), hepatitis C infections, and the Epstein-Barr virus (in children)
- Chemical exposure to compounds such as trichloroethylene in well water and dust.
The disease is classified into three types (groups), namely:
1. Discoid lupus
Cutaneous lupus or discoid often referred to, is lupus disease limited to the skin. Clients with discoid lupus have a limited version of the skin disease, characterized by a rash that appears on the face, neck, and scalp, but does not affect the internal organs.
The disease is usually milder usually around 10% -15% that develops into systemic lupus.
2. Systemic Lupus
In about 10% of patients discoid lupus, the disease evolves and develops into systemic lupus that affects the body's internal organs such as joints, lungs, kidneys, blood, and heart. This type of lupus is often characterized by periods of flares (when the disease is active) and periods of remission (when the disease is not active). There is no way to predict how long it will last flare. After the initial flare, some lupus patients recovered and never had another flare, but the flare some other patients came and went repeatedly over the years.
3. Drug-Induced Lupus (DIL)
DIL or known by the name of Lupus because of the influence of drugs. This type of lupus is caused by a reaction to certain prescription medications and cause very similar symptoms of systemic lupus. The most frequent drug reactions cause lupus are hydralazine hypertension drugs and cardiac arrhythmia drug procainamide, tuberculosis drug Isoniazid, Minocycline acne medications and about 400 other drugs. Lupus symptoms subsided after the patient stops taking the drug triggers.
The lupus disease vary. If the attack on the skin, the scalp will flake off so the hair will fall out. If attacking the bone, completely sick, recline position any pain. Usually use morphine to relieve pain, but if use morphine effect is not good, so often times people screaming in pain, terrible indeed. If attacking the blood, the blood will coagulate and does not reach the brain, stroke and coma. Lupus is like AIDS might even be worse, patient endurance decreased drastically, so the easier diseases to attack the patient's body.
The lupus disease can affect anyone, and the investigators are still following up the cause of the disease. Precisely lupus affects mostly women of childbearing age until the age of 50 years even though there are also men who have. According to the scientists estimate that the female hormone (estrogen) may be something to do with the causes of lupus disease because of the fact that there is known that 9 out of 10 people with lupus are women. That trigger lupus disease is environmental, stress, certain medications, infection, and exposure to sunlight.
In pregnancies of women who suffer from lupus, often believed to be related to pregnancy that causes abortion, fetal developmental disorders or stillborn babies. But the opposite is also possible or even worsen the symptoms of lupus disease. Common lupus symptoms appear during pregnancy or after childbirth.
Most cases have a background of family history that has been exposed to before, but in some cases there is no obvious cause for this disease. Lupus has been widely studied and has been associated with other disorders, but only in theory, there is no clearly stated as fact.
Until now, Lupus is a mysterious disease in the medical community. Except that due to lupus drug reactions, the exact cause of this disease is unknown. Even still ongoing debate about whether lupus is a disease or a combination of several related diseases. Approximately 90% of lupus patients are women, which indicates that the disease may be related to female hormones. Menstruation, menopause and childbirth can trigger the onset of lupus. Approximately 80% of lupus patients suffering from this disease in the age between 15 to 45 years or 50 years.
Usually odipus (people living with lupus) will avoid the things that can make the disease relapsed with:
1. Avoid stress.
2. Make sure to avoid direct sunlight.
3. Reduce the excessive workload.
4. Avoid the use of certain medications.
