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Why must immunosuppressant drugs be used carefully in autoimmune disease treatment?

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immune system disorder False-color scanning electron micrograph of a T cell infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the agent that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

Immunosuppressant drugs are essential for managing autoimmune diseases by dampening the immune system's harmful attacks on the body's own tissues. However, they must be used with great care for several critical reasons:12

Increased Infection Risk: By inhibiting the immune system, these drugs leave patients highly susceptible to microbial infections. While many of these infections can be treated with antibiotics, the primary goal is to minimize the duration of immunosuppression to protect the patient.324
Systemic Impact: Because these medications often interfere with the development or function of immune cells like T and B cells, they reduce the body's overall ability to defend against external pathogens.12
Long-term Complications: In cases of long-term immunosuppression, there is an increased risk of developing [lymphoma].3

Physicians must carefully balance the need to suppress serious autoimmune responses against the risk of unintentional damage to the body's natural defenses. Consequently, these drugs are typically administered for the shortest period possible to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.2