Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, fibrosing interstitial pneumonia of unknown cause, occurring in adults and limited to the lungs. In the past, treatment was aimed at minimizing inflammation and slowing the progression of inflammation to fibrosis. However, the underlying lesion in IPF may be more fibrotic than inflammatory, explaining why few patients respond to anti-inflammatory therapies and the prognosis remains poor. In this review of literature, we will be focusing on main lines of treatment including current medications, supportive care, lung transplantation evaluation, and potential future strategies of treatment.