Treatments for lupus have improved greatly in the past thirty years. There are now more options and more drugs available than ever before. Deciding on a treatment strategy for lupus should involve collaboration between doctor and patient. Usually, the treatment will depend on the age and sex of the person with lupus and on the symptoms the person is currently experiencing; treatment strategies should be adapted to the changing needs of the patient. The goals of a treatment plan should be to minimize symptoms and flares, to treat symptoms when they do occur, and to prevent complications such as long-term damage to organs. The classes of drug treatment available for lupus include:

• NSAIDs : Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen are used to control pain, fever and swelling caused by inflammation.
• Antimalarials : These are drugs originally designed to treat malaria but clinical studies have found that continuous treatment with antimalarials may prevent flares from recurring.
• Corticosteroids : These drugs are mimics of the naturally occurring stress hormone cortisol. They work by effectively blocking the inflammatory response of the immune system.
• Immunosuppressives : In certain cases of lupus where the kidneys or nervous system are affected, immunosuppressive drugs may help. These are the same type of drugs that help prevent organ rejection after a transplant. They work by suppressing the formation of new immune system cells, which puts a damper on immune system activity.

With these treatments, over 90% of patients survive for more than ten years after diagnosis and many can live a full and active life. In fact, the most common cause of death in lupus patients is now infection due to the side effects of immunosuppressive drugs.