Title : Care of the patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis resolving the mystery
Abstract:
I PF stands for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, a rare condition that affects 14 - 43 people per 100,000, with a total of approximately 3 million patients worldwide. The lung tissue of someone with IPF becomes thickened, stiff and scarred. Fibrosis is the medical term for this scarring. The tiny air sacs (known as alveoli) and blood vessels of the lungs are responsible for providing the oxygen that every part of the body needs the information to be presented in regard to IPF will 1. Pathophysiology, prevalence and prognosis 2. Clinical features and diagnosis of IPF, 3. Recognizing IPF in clinical practice and 4. Patient Management.
Audience Take Away:
• It will help individuals to understand the importance of early identification and early referral with patients with IPF.
• Most patients with IPF experience breathlessness, which may initially be only on exertion, and cough, with or without sputum, is also common. Over time, there is a progressive decline in lung function, reduced quality of life and, ultimately, death.
• Prognosis is difficult to estimate at the time of diagnosis. When deterioration occurs, it can be rapid. Median survival for IPF from diagnosis in the world is approximately 3 years, and only about 20% of people will survive for more than 5 years.1 The likelihood for rapid deterioration and the detrimental impact of that on quality of life means that early diagnosis and appropriate management is vital.
• Clinical experience suggests that patients with IPF often present quite late in the disease course having had symptoms for many months/years prior to diagnosis. They have often first been misdiagnosed with other more common respiratory diseases like asthma or COPD before an IPF diagnosis is reached. Thus, for some, the potential of starting therapy early to prevent lung function decline is lost. Early recognition is key.
