Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis:
A famous tabla maestro and five-time Grammy Award winner passed away in San Francisco due to Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).
- It is a serious chronic disease that affects the tissue surrounding the air sacs, or alveoli, in the lungs.
- The lung tissue becomes thick and stiff for unknown reasons — causing permanent scarring in the lungs over time.
- Fibrosis can make it progressively more difficult to breathe for the patient.
- Complications from IPF include pulmonary hypertension and respiratory failure, which happen when the lungs cannot deliver enough oxygen into the bloodstream without support.
- This prevents the brain and other organs from getting the oxygen they need.
- Individuals with a history of smoking or a family history of IPF are at higher risk.
- The risk also increases with age, making older adults more susceptible to developing the disease.
- Common symptoms include shortness of breath and a dry cough — both of which are likely to get worse over time.
- Patients might also have aching muscles and joints as well as feeling extreme tiredness.
- A gradual, unintended loss of weight and generally feeling unwell. Symptoms also include rapid, shallow breathing and clubbing — a widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes.
- There is no cure for IPF, but some treatments can help slow lung damage and improve quality of life.
- Medications like Nintedanib or Pirfenidone can help the lungs function better and reduce flare-ups.
