Why is lupus a concern for women?
Nine out of 10 people who have lupus are women. And lupus is most common in women of childbearing years. Having lupus increases your risk of developing other health problems that are common in women. It can also cause these diseases to occur earlier in life: • Heart disease. When you have lupus you are at increased risk for the main type of heart disease, called coronary artery disease (CAD). This is partly because people with lupus have more CAD risk factors, which may include: high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol levels, type 2 diabetes, and an inactive lifestyle due to fatigue, joint problems, and/or muscle pain. Heart disease is the number one killer of all women. But, women with lupus are 50 times more likely to have chest pain or a heart attack than other women of the same age. • Osteoporosis (OSS-tee-oh-puh-ROH-suhss). Women with lupus have more bone loss and breaks than other women.
