[jandmsmom]

Ok, so I was watching this reality show called "Dr. G, Medical Examiner". It is basically about a coroner who tries to figure out how people die...it is actually very interesteing. Anyway, this otherwise healthy (except for Lupus) female dies out of the blue. When Dr. G was doing the autopsy, she couldn't find anything wrong with her. The last thing she looked at was her heart. She had major thickening of the arteries in her heart which Dr. G then said was common in Lupus patients. I am already prone to heart disease because of my family history so I am of course worried about this. I haven't read anything like this in the books etc. that I have read about Lupus...anyone ever hear of anything like this. I know I know...I should stop watching so much T.V.!

Thanks!!!

~Dale

 

[Barb G]

Dale,

Atherosclerosis is due to inflammation and it is now suspected to have an autoimmune component. The Autoimmune Epidemic c. 2008 written by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, pg. 37-38, 52 --- a very informative book, I highly recommend it.

Barb

 

[keebler]

Hi Dale,

Lupus can affect any organ in our body. This is what I found for you.

Cardiovascular diseases. SLE damages the blood vessels, accelerates atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries) and can lead to stroke, heart attack or heart failure. A stroke is sometimes a symptom of SLE in an undiagnosed individual.

I found it here.

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/systemic-lupus-erythematosus.html?pageNum=2

Being aware of what lupus can do is a good advantage. We then can know what to look for and yet not worry about the "what if's"

Take care,
Lyn