Clinical course and management of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD) with an unpredictable clinical course. Although IPF is rare, healthcare professionals should consider IPF as a potential cause of unexplained chronic dyspnea and/or cough in middle-aged/elderly patients and refer patients to a pulmonologist for evaluation. Making a diagnosis of IPF requires specialist expertise. Multidisciplinary discussion, involving at...