Treatment and management of patients with IPF include supportive care for acute exacerbations, antifibrotic medications to slow disease progression, and lung transplantation. Supportive care consists of oxygen therapy, influenza and pneumonia vaccination, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Patients with AE-IPF also often require broad-spectrum antibiotics, corticosteroids, cytotoxic agents, and when indicated, mechanical ventilation.
There is no cure for IPF, and as it is a progressive and ultimately fatal disease, early diagnosis is important for optimal management. Lung transplantation is currently the only definitive treatment option, but has many requirements that may limit patient eligibility. It is best to discuss this option early in the patient's course, with a low threshold for referral to a lung transplant center for evaluation.
For more on treating and managing patients with IPF, read here.
Medscape © 2019 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Guy W. Soo Hoo. Fast Five Quiz: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Treatment - Medscape - Jun 17, 2019.
Comments