Lupus Worries Lady Gaga

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga, international pop singer superstar told talk show host, Larry King, that she is afraid she might be developing lupus. Gaga's aunt died from lupus recently and Gaga fears the disease may "run in the family."

She has undergone a series of medical tests and has tested "borderline positive" for lupus. As of now she does not have the disease and promises to take good care of herself.

Gaga recently collapsed from exhaustion while performing in Germany, adding to the worry of her fans. While performing in Tokyo she suffered heart palpitations and shortness of breath.

What is lupus?

-Lupus is a disease that causes the immune system to attack itself. It can cause heart palpitations, joint pain, anemia, shortness of breath, skin rashes, and kidney damage. It attacks and inflames the tissues of the body including the heart, brain and the lungs.

-Between 1.5 and 2 million people in the US have the disease. Lupus can be fatal.

Types of lupus:

-Systemic lupus erythematosus can affect nearly any part of the body including the blood and is what most people refer to when talking about lupus.

-Discoid lupus erythematosus affects the skin. Red rashes appear on the neck, face and chest. Sometimes the rash is in the shape of a butterfly. This is a less serious form of lupus, but can develop into the more serious systemic form.

-Drug induced lupus erythematosus occurs after taking certain prescriptions. The symptoms go away when the medication is stopped.

-Neonatal lupus is a rare form of lupus appearing as a rash on newborn babies. It usually disappears in a few months but in rare cases, can affect the baby's heart.

Causes of lupus:

- Doctors don't know the exact cause of lupus. 90% of those with lupus are women

-In the United States. Lupus is more common in people of color.

-Relatives of people with lupus have a 5-15% chance of developing the disease.

-Although the specific gene for lupus has yet to be discovered, people with no family

history can get the disease.

-Environmental causes such as overexposure to sunlight, side effects to medications, exposure to cigarette smoke, chemicals and food additives, as well as viruses can activate the disease.

-Exhaustion, emotional stress, female hormones, pregnancy and giving birth can be a factor.

- An injury, an infection and a reaction to medicine can trigger the disease, but it is still difficult to pinpoint a specific cause.

Treatment and Prognosis of lupus

-Medical science has not yet found a cure for lupus and some people do die from the disease. However those with non-organ involvement of lupus can live a normal lifespan if they:

-follow the instructions of their physician,

-take their medication as prescribed, and

-communicate with their doctor if any problems occur.

- Some people may have severe flare-ups and need to be hospitalized, but most never require hospitalization.

New research has bought much progress each year in the treatment of lupus. It is therefore possible to maintain control of the disease that tomorrow may be curable.

Lady Gaga doesn't want "anyone to be worried" and hopefully she will be fine. "I have to take good care of myself," she said.

Sources:

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/06/01/2010-06-01_lady_gaga_reveals...

http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnunderstan...

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