Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Treatment

Treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) can minimize further damage and relieve symptoms in order to improve a person's quality of life. Some of the possible treatment options include medications, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and lung transplantation. The specific idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment plan a healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on the person's age, other existing medical conditions, and the amount of damage that has already occurred.

 

Treatment for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: An Overview

There is no cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Although there are treatment options, they cannot stop the condition from worsening, nor can they reverse the damage that has already occurred. Therefore, treatment for IPF is focused on minimizing further damage, along with relieving symptoms and improving a person's quality of life.
 
Specific idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment options include:
 
  • Medications
  • Oxygen therapy
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation
  • Lung transplantation.
     
The specific treatment plan a healthcare provider recommends will be based on several factors, such as the person's age, other existing medical conditions, and how much damage IPF has already caused. Also, regardless of the IPF treatment recommended, it is extremely important that a person quit smoking if he or she smokes.
 

Medicines Used to Treat IPF

It is very important to treat IPF as early as possible. By treating the condition before a lot of scarring has taken place, it may improve the chances that treatment will be successful and increase the life expectancy in some people (see Prognosis and Life Expectancy With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis).
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD