Doctors say these subtle symptoms can indicate serious health conditions

If seemingly normal symptoms like acid reflux, shortness of breath, or a persistent cough keep coming and going, it might just be because you had a stressful dinner of spicy Indian food with your in-laws while you were recovering from the flu. But doctors warn that these symptoms of IPF can go unnoticed.

Meet the Expert: Nicole Ng, MD, Associate Director of the Interstitial Lung Disease Program at Mount Sinai Health System

If these symptoms occur repeatedly and are accompanied by other symptoms, it may be a good idea to see your doctor to see if more symptoms are occurring. These daily annoyances are often nothing to worry about on their own, but when combined they can lead to lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

What is IPF?

IPF is one of more than 200 lung diseases classified as interstitial lung disease (ILD). All of these tend to affect the spaces around the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs, causing inflammation and scarring, which makes the lungs stiff and unable to carry oxygen into the bloodstream.

Some types of ILD are caused by environmental exposure to certain toxins. Others occur in people with autoimmune diseases that can involve the lungs, such as rheumatoid arthritis. There are other causes as well.

However, if a lung scan shows a distinctive pattern of scarring without a clear cause, the diagnosis may be IPF, explains Nicole Ng, MD, associate director of the Interstitial Lung Disease Program at Mount Sinai Health System. (The “I” stands for “idiopathic,” meaning “unknown cause.”) Approximately 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with IPF each year.

Who gets an IPF?

Because IPF commonly affects older people and symptoms develop gradually, it may be thought to simply be an effect of aging. “You may notice that things that used to be easy to do, such as taking a walk at night or doing housework, gradually become more difficult, so you need to take breaks,” says Dr. Ng.

And because the early symptoms of IPF can be general and nonspecific, patients can be misdiagnosed or go undiagnosed for months or even years (often given multiple rounds of antibiotics for pneumonia before a correct diagnosis is obtained, Dr. Ng says). Therefore, if you are not feeling well, it is important to monitor your progress as there may be other causes.

IPF is most commonly diagnosed in people in their 60s and 70s and occurs more often in men than women, Dr. Ng added. “Smoking is a known risk factor, so cessation is strongly recommended.” Having a family member with IPF also increases your risk.

IPF symptoms

Symptoms of IPF include:

• Shortness of breath during exercise or daily activities

• I can’t stop my dry cough
  go away

• severe or persistent fatigue

• Club activities and expansion
  and rounded tip
  fingers and toes

Treatment of IPF

There is no cure for IPF, but starting treatment early may slow its progression, Dr. Ng says. Your treatment plan may include:

antifibrotic drugs

These drugs slow the decline in lung function and are the only drugs specifically approved for IPF. “Until last year, there were only two FDA-approved antifibrotic drugs: nintedanib and pirfenidone,” explains Dr. Ng. However, a third, Nelandmilast (Jascayd), was approved last October. “It’s really reassuring for us to finally have another option,” she says.

respiratory rehabilitation

This therapy focuses on exercise training, breathing exercises, energy-saving techniques, and may also include nutritional counseling. The goal is to teach IPF patients how to improve their lung capacity and improve their quality of life.

oxygen therapy

As the disease progresses, some people with IPF may require supplemental oxygen during activities that cause shortness of breath, such as walking or climbing stairs. In the later stages of the condition, the person becomes even more dependent.

Treatment of associated symptoms

According to Dr. Ng, reflux, sleep apnea, and pulmonary hypertension often appear at the same time as IPF. If so, address those as well.

What do you take home? If you have a persistent cough or a change in breathing without an obvious cause, see your doctor for follow-up. To learn more about interstitial lung disease and how to manage the condition, visit beyondthescars.com.

you may also like