Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF for short, is a condition that affects tissues deep inside the lungs. IPF is a progressive disease, meaning that, with or without treatment, the damage to the lungs will continue. The most common symptoms are shortness of breath and a dry, hacking cough that does not go away. At this time, there is no known cure.
(For more information, click Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. This article takes a closer look at how IPF is diagnosed, what causes it, and how many people in the United States are affected by the condition.)
