Palliative (pronounced PAH-lee-uh-tiv) care is a health care approach that tends to the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of a person with an illness and the needs of his or her family. It can be offered to people at any age and at any point in an illness such as lupus.
Palliative care specialists treat people living with many disease types and chronic illnesses. These include cancer, cardiac disease such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney failure, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and many more.
The vast majority of people diagnosed with the condition will have a normal or near-normal life expectancy. However, some people with SLE are still at risk of life-threatening complications as a result of damage to internal organs and tissues, such as heart attack or stroke.
According to the Lupus Research Alliance, about half of all people with lupus experience cognitive difficulties with thought processes. Around 1 in 5 people experience headaches, memory loss, mood swings, and stroke. Blood clots might also develop. These might also lead to dangerous complications, such as stroke.
As death from kidney disease has declined, heart attacks and related cardiovascular diseases have emerged as leading causes of early mortality in people with lupus. The reasons for accelerated heart disease have not been precisely delineated, but it is clear that multiple factors contribute.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with an increased risk of hospitalization. Multiple studies have reported SLE flare, infection, and cardiovascular (CV) events as the most common reasons for hospitalization.
Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus.
Class 5, or membranous lupus nephritis
This classification involves thickening and scarring of the important structures within the kidney. A person will have high levels of blood, protein, or both in their urine as well as high blood pressure. They may also require dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease link—a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the body's own cells and organs. Kidney disease caused by lupus may get worse over time and lead to kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain your health.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common and most serious type of lupus. SLE affects all parts of the body.
Lupus nephritis tends to develop within 5 years of the appearance of initial lupus symptoms. The condition affects about 40% of people who have SLE and can lead to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in 22% of patients over a period of 15 years.
Increased need for medication due to uncontrolled pain or symptoms. Shortness of breath. Difficulties performing the tasks of daily living: bathing, getting out of bed, getting dressed, walking, or preparing and eating meals. Increased number of trips to the ER and multiple hospitalizations.
You can receive palliative care at any point after a terminal diagnosis. Some people receive palliative care for years. Your doctor or nurse may mention or suggest palliative care because they want to make sure you have all the support you need.
Muscle and joint pain.
This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms.
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical presentations resulting from its effect on multiple organ systems. There are four main types of lupus: neonatal, discoid, drug-induced, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the type that affects the majority of patients.
Severe abdominal pain. Chest pain or shortness of breath. Seizures. New onset of a fever or if your fever is much higher than usual.
When lupus is advanced or severe, it can disable the individual. The symptoms include malaise, low mental and physical capacity, fever, severe joint aches that limit mobility, severe and frequent exhaustion, and involuntary weight loss.
Previous reports have identified lupus flare and infection as the two most common reasons for hospitalization [1,6-8].
Results. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus admitted to the intensive care unit in the study sample was 21.4%, and the death rate among them is 18.2%. In our study, the main causes of intensive care admission were cardiovascular causes followed by renal failure then infections.
Lupus can cause serious kidney damage, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death among people with lupus. Brain and central nervous system. If your brain is affected by lupus, you may experience headaches, dizziness, behavior changes, vision problems, and even strokes or seizures.