Featuring Dr. John Watterson, MD, FRCPC

Duration: 1 minute, 11 seconds

Once a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus has been established or considered, your physician will take an inventory of symptoms, signs, and severity of disease and come up with a treatment plan.  

This treatment plan may vary in individuals, depending on organ system involved and the severity of that organ system involved. The treatments can vary from simple analgesic or anti-inflammatory agents up to very powerful amino-suppressant drugs.  

One of the most common medications we use for all comers with systemic lupus erythematosus are antimalarial drugs. These medications seem to reduce the exacerbations of the disease and also treat some of the more common manifestations, including skin and joint disease.  

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease of unknown cause. It's characterized by inflammation of organs and tissues. It is treatable, but it needs to be recognized.  

So the most important thing is that, if you feel you may have systemic lupus erythematosus and are developing symptoms or signs suggesting that, that you seek medical attention.  

Presenter: Dr. John Watterson, Rheumatologist, Victoria, BC

Local Practitioners: Rheumatologist