By Taiwo Oluwadare
A famous Nigerian actress, Kemi Afolabi, has said her doctor told her that she has five more years to live and has spent one year already.
The 43-year-old actress disclosed this in a recent interview with media personality, Chude Jideonwo.
The actress also said she was diagnosed with lupus.
Meanwhile, below is what you can know about the terminal disease…
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune condition that can cause inflammation throughout your body. However, it tends to primarily be a localized condition, so it’s not always systemic.
Causes of lupus
While healthcare providers don’t know exactly what causes lupus, they think it may be a combination of many underlying factors. These include:
*Environment: Healthcare providers have identified potential triggers like smoking, stress, and exposure to toxins like silica dust as potential lupus causes.
* Genetics: More than 50 genes associated with lupus have been identified. Additionally, having a family history of lupus may put a person at slightly higher risk for experiencing the condition.
* Hormones: Some studies suggest that abnormal hormone levels, such as increased estrogen levels, could contribute to lupus.
* Infections: Healthcare providers are still studying the linkTrusted Source between infections like cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr, and causes of lupus.
* Medications: Long-term use of certain medications, such as hydralazine (Apresoline), procainamide (Procanbid), and quinidine, have been linked with causing a form of lupus known as drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DIL).
Treatment for lupus
While there’s currently no cure for lupus at this time, medications are available to help you to manage your lupus symptoms and prevent lupus flares. Your healthcare provider will consider your lupus symptoms and their severity when recommending lupus treatments.
It’s important that you see your healthcare provider on a regular basis. This allows them to better monitor your condition and determine if your treatment plan is working to manage your symptoms.
Additionally, your lupus symptoms can change over time. Because of this, your healthcare provider may change your medications or adjust the dosage of current medication.
