There are several risk factors that suggest a person’s higher level of susceptibility to getting lupus. Do any of these factors apply to you?
- Are you a woman? Lupus strikes eight times more females than men.
- Are you a woman between 15 and 45? If so, that eight-fold increase mentioned above rises to 15-fold.
- African-American? Asian? You risk increases again.
- A family history of lupus? Heredity may play a factor.
- Take any medications that are associated with drug-induced lupus? The good news is, you may be able to quell the disease. (Not so for systemic lupus erythematosus – there is no cure.)
- Smoker? Time to quit. Some studies show a link between the two.
