Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the scarring of the lung tissue that leads to shortness in breath. Excessive scarring can cause damage to the lungs and make it difficult to breathe. There is no specific cause that is identified for this condition. There are various treatment options for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) as listed below.
Currently, there are no medicines that can cure the condition. Medicines like azathioprine, prednisone, and N-acetylcysteine can help. There is no evidence that supports its use.
This is an anti-inflammatory medicine that can be taken orally every day. It can also be administered through a needle or tube into the vein. It can cause strong side effects; hence, the doctor may only prescribe it for three to six months initially. If it works, the dosage can be reduced over time.
Azathioprine will suppress your immune system. It can be taken orally, but it has serious side effects.
This is an antioxidant that may prevent the lung damage. It can be taken orally several times a day.
A combination of all the three medicines is a common treatment for IPF. However, it is harmful and not advisable for the long term. Patients should start and stop the medication after consulting a doctor. They should not make a decision on their own.
Researchers are studying new medicines and treatments for IPF. Some medications can reduce the scarring caused by IPF.
There are other treatments that can help people with IPF. These treatments include cough medicines to relieve coughing, flu and pneumonia vaccines to help prevent infections, Vitamin D and calcium to prevent bone loss, and anti-reflux therapy to control gastroesophageal reflux disease.
If the level of oxygen in the blood of a patient falls, they may require oxygen therapy. It can help reduce shortness of breath and improve the physical condition. Oxygen is supplied through nasal prongs or a mask.
This is a standard treatment for patients with a chronic lung disease. It helps improve the well-being of patients who suffer from breathing problems. It does not replace medical therapy but is used with the same. It includes exercise training, breathing strategies, nutritional counseling, education on the disease, psychological counseling, and energy conserving techniques.
If the patient’s condition is worsening quickly, the last option may be a lung transplant. It can help improve the physical condition and help live longer. The major complication of the transplant will be rejection and infection. Rejection is the body creating proteins that attack the new organ. Patients might have to consume medicines for the rest of their life to reduce the risk of rejection. Since the supply of donors is limited, it is important to speak to a doctor regarding the transplant at the earliest.
Understanding the medical condition will help deal with it in a better manner. It is important to consult a doctor before taking up any medication or treatment related to the disease.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a lung disease that can result in scarring of the lung tissues for no evident reason. Over a period of time, the scarring gets worse and it becomes difficult to breathe. Since the lungs are damaged, they cannot take in enough oxygen, leading to shortness of breath. The disease involves the tissues and space around the lungs and does not directly affect the blood vessels. There are various diseases that cause inflammation or fibrosis and each one is treated differently.
The cause of this medical condition is not completely understood. There is no single cause or reason why some people suffer from this disease. There are risk factors such as genetics, cigarette smoking, age, acid reflux, and more. It affects more men than women. Most individuals infected with IPF have another family member with a lung disease. About 75 percent of the patients are men and almost 75 percent of patients are or were previously cigarette smokers.
There are two main symptoms of IPF.
Breathlessness or short breath first appears during exercise. It can have an impact on the day to day activities like climbing stairs. It increases as scarring in the lung gets worse and it could prevent all daily activities.
Majority people with IPF have a chronic cough which lasts longer than eight weeks. This is a dry cough.
There are other symptoms which include unexplained weight loss, tiredness, loss of energy, chest pain, loss of appetite, and change in the shape of fingers and toes (clubbing).
There is no cure for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and there are no definite procedures that can remove the scarring from lungs. However, there are treatments that slow down the progression of lung scarring but may not lessen the symptoms of cough and breathlessness.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis cannot be identified in the first instance. As it gradually progresses, the patient will notice short breath and will feel the need to approach a doctor. Although there is no specific treatment that can cure the disease, it can reduce the symptoms of the condition and show a slight improvement in the lung tissues. The scarring cannot be removed but the progression can be slowed down. It is important to consult a doctor when the signs and symptoms are noticed. Based on the progression of scarring, the doctor will be able to provide medication for the same. For every patient, it is important to understand the disease first and not to panic. Smokers sometimes experience short breath which could not necessarily be due to the presence of IPF. Prepare a list of questions for the doctor to answer so that there is clarity with regard to the disease. If the patient is already on medication for some other medical condition, the information about the same should be provided to the doctor in order to consider the treatment options.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is an irreversible, progressive disease which has no treatment. Hence, good coping skills and education about the disease is a must for every patient.
