Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic and progressive lung disease in which the air sacs in the lungs, called the alveoli, become scarred and stiff, making it difficult to breathe and get enough oxygen into the bloodstream. To address some misconceptions about the prognosis of pulmonary fibrosis and life…
As a condition of being placed on a lung transplant list, I had to show that I had social support. My wife was my main caregiver, but she would need a break now and then. Fortunately, several friends offered to help with caregiving duties. However, our need for…
Goal setting is an essential part of a balanced life. Regardless of whether the goals are related to fitness, finances, or learning a new skill, having targets gives you something to work toward and opportunities for improvement. I recently read a post titled, “8 Benefits of Goal Setting,” and…
People with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and right heart dysfunction may benefit more from a therapy combining Ofev (nintedanib) with sildenafil than from Ofev alone in terms of cardiac health, according to data from a Phase 3 study. The study, “Nintedanib and Sildenafil in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary…
The natural product tannic acid has anti-fibrotic effects on cultured human lung fibroblasts and in an in vivo idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) mouse model by reducing signals from TGF-beta receptors, a new study has found. The study, “…
Have you ever been in a position in which you wanted to disclose something but were worried about how it would be perceived? Were you concerned that you’d be treated differently as a result of the disclosure? Unfortunately, I’ve been in this position recently, as I continue to navigate the…
At-home use of wearable physical activity trackers and portable spirometry devices may offer a feasible way of evaluating people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) taking part in clinical trials, a small study suggests. These findings were reported in “Mobile Health Monitoring in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis,”…
I recently spoke to Dr. Heidi Engel, the physical therapist who directed my mom’s pulmonary rehabilitation while she was in the ICU at the University of California, San Francisco. We discussed ICU relationships and how providers can better support family members who are experiencing the trauma of having…
Mutations in two genes, S100A3 and S100A13, were found to be linked to an atypical, early onset form of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in two families in Saudi Arabia. The newly identified gene variants add to knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of PF development, and further support the involvement of calcium metabolism in…
I was diagnosed with a fatal lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) three years ago. Since then, my life has been full of ups and downs — most of which my peers, who are other young adults, cannot relate to as a result of living a healthy life.
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