In this episode of the Lupus Foundation of America's The Expert Series podcast, we focus on how steroids are an essential and often life-saving treatment for people with lupus, even though the new SLE guidelines recommend using them as little as possible. Our guest speaker, Dr. Megan Lockwood, walks us through why steroids play such a critical role in lupus care, the potential risks and downsides of prolonged use and why limiting their use whenever possible is equally important. We also discuss how patients can work with their health care providers to develop a thoughtful, personalized steroid plan and have productive conversations with their doctors about managing steroid treatment.

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Episode takeaways:

• Understanding how steroids work
• The importance of minimizing steroid use
• Short and long-term side effects of steroids
• Alternatives to steroids in lupus treatment
• Safe steroid tapering strategies
• Future treatments and research developments