How long the elderly can live with myasthenia gravis can not be generalized, mainly depends on the severity of the disease, the recovery of the treatment, as well as the diseases that cause myasthenia gravis, such as motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis and other factors.
1. Motor Neuron Disease: It is a disease in which the upper and lower neurons are damaged, leading to the gradual weakness and atrophy of the muscles of the ball, limbs, trunk, chest and abdomen. This disease is relatively serious, and clinically it is mainly given symptomatic treatment with drugs to slow down the progression of the disease.
If the respiratory muscles are not involved in the early stage, the condition is stable, and the care is in place, the life expectancy may vary from one to several years; if the respiratory muscles are involved, infection occurs, and the care is not in place, the life expectancy of the patient may be affected at any time.
2. Myasthenia gravis: it is an autoimmune disease, which is mainly treated by medication, surgery, plasma replacement and other methods. If the patient is treated timely and symptomatically, the condition is stable and there are no complications, generally can survive for a long time; if the patient’s condition is serious, there is respiratory muscle weakness, resulting in respiratory failure, without timely treatment may die at any time.
Patients with myasthenia gravis, should seek medical treatment in time to clarify the cause of the disease as soon as possible.