According to the LFA, the goals of any lupus treatment plan are to reduce inflammation, suppress a patient’s overactive immune system, prevent flare-ups, control symptoms like joint pain and fatigue and minimize damage to organs. The amount of medication prescribed depends on the severity of the disease. According to the LFA, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only a few medications specifically for lupus. These medications include: corticosteroids (such as prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone and hydrocortisone), antimalarials like hydroxychloroquine (brand name Plaquenil) and chloroquine, the antibody belimumab (Benlysta), and aspirin. Because Plaquenil is believed to enhance the performance of other lupus drugs, it is almost always part of treatment. Plaquenil is an antimalarial, but also an immunosuppressant medication.
