Toby M. Maher, MD, recounts an early encounter with a patient with an acute exacerbation of undiagnosed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis whose condition deteriorated over 5 weeks and eventually led to his death. Twenty years later, diagnosing and identifying these conditions have improved, allowing for better treatments and reducing the risk for hospitalization.
Now, with better understanding of the natural history of acute exacerbations, better treatment expectations and referrals can be put into effect. And with the use of antifibrotic drugs, progression to fibrosis can be prevented in the first place.
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Cite this: In Retrospect: The Evolution of Understanding of Interstitial Lung Disease - Medscape - Apr 26, 2023.
