The best thing about the pulmonary fibrosis community Over the last seven months of writing this column, I’ve learned that pulmonary fibrosis patients are brave, kind and supportive to one another. This is also true of their caregivers. I love watching our community develop as we share…
Learning How Brave, Kind and Supportive Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients Can Be
If you’ve been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, it’s likely that your healthcare team has mentioned pulmonary rehabilitation. But what is it and why do you need to do it? MORE: Eight tips for protecting your lungs from unhealthy air Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program that combines education, support, and exercise. The goal of…
Left to right, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel; Bill Vick, PF Warriors; Teresa Barnes, patient advocate; Tom Hurvis, Three Lakes Partners; Steven Collens, MATTER; and Ken Bahk, Three Lakes Partners. Photo Credit: Sean Su | CloudSpotter A group of philanthropists, medical-tech and business people have issued…
As the weather gets warmer here in Canada and everything begins to bloom for another year, it means summer is just a few weeks away. Summer has always been my favorite season. I love the warmth it brings because I despise being cold. I also love the…
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) patients are susceptible to lung infections which can often lead to hospitalization. According to the American Lung Association, there are several things you can do to help prevent lung infections. Practice Good Hygiene Regularly washing hands with soap and water — particularly before eating…
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a progressive chronic lung disease where the tissue in the lungs becomes scarred and stiffens. This can lead to a multitude of symptoms including breathlessness, persistent coughing, fatigue, joint pain and for some patients, weight loss. Pulmonary fibrosis symptoms: Aching joints and muscles Weight loss…
Throughout my childhood, adolescent years and most recently young adulthood, I have been my toughest critic. I openly admit to that, and have had a strong desire to always want to do things to the best of my ability. I will repeat an activity or task until I have…
MiRagen Therapeutics‘ MRG-201 has reversed fibrosis in mice with pulmonary fibrosis, according to a presentation the company prepared for the 76th annual meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology in Portland, Oregon. The biopharmaceutical firm develops fibrosis treatments that target microRNAs, small molecules that control whether genes are switched on or…
Ofev (nintedanib) is a drug used in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The anti-fibrotic therapy is made by the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim and was approved by the FDA in October 2014 and by the European Commission in January 2015. MORE: New knowledge about Ofev and Esbriet may…
Natural gene variants, called polymorphisms, may explain why some patients with systemic sclerosis also develop pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The study, “The status of pulmonary fibrosis in systemic sclerosis is associated with IRF5, STAT4, IRAK1, and CTGF polymorphisms,” appeared in the journal Rheumatology International. PF is one of the leading…
