Patients with Pulmonary Fibrosis are not immune from other medical problems and we are often faced with the possibility of our patients requiring invasive care for non-lung problems. Minimizing risk requires careful communication between all involved parties. In order to provide the best advice to my patients I ask a series of questions designed to help understand the … [Read more...]
How is My Pulmonary Fibrosis Doing?
Unfortunately in IPF, we currently have no therapy that improves lung function. As a result, we settle for stability as the goal of therapy. Currently approved therapies (OFEV and Esbriet) have both been shown to reduce the rate of decline in lung capacity compared to placebo. How do we track the progression or stability of IPF? There are three broad ways that your … [Read more...]
What if My Pulmonary Fibrosis is Getting Worse?
The first and most important point is that regular evaluations of your lung function and exercise capacity are important to identify if your IPF is getting worse. Patients may feel worse for many reasons—some lung related and others in no way related to lung function. As a result, I am a believer in regular pulmonary function testing and six minute walks. In the patient … [Read more...]
Preventing and Treating Flu with IPF
(This is Part 2 of Our Flu Series. To read, Part 1, click here). Preventing Flu Infection in Patients with Pulmonary Fibrosis If you have Pulmonary Fibrosis or other serious lung disease, an ounce of prevention is worth about 100 pounds of cure. The best way to prevent influenza is to get the Flu vaccine. The more people around you that get vaccinated the better (this is … [Read more...]
Staying Healthy During Respiratory Virus Season
Especially Important for Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients Part 1 of 2 In medicine the only intervention better than an effective treatment for a disease is a way to prevent getting the disease in the first place. As Influenza (Flu) season approaches, I am always reminded that in our high tech world of modern medicine with pills that can cost $100,000 per year, one of the most … [Read more...]