10 minutes agoAuthor: Gaurav Tiwari
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Famous tabla player and Padma Vibhushan Ustad Zakir Hussain Sahab passed away on Monday. His family has confirmed that he was suffering from the rare lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
He was admitted in a hospital in San Francisco, America for the last 2 weeks. When his condition deteriorated there, he was admitted to the ICU. He breathed his last there.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung condition. In this, such scars and wounds occur in the lungs, which cannot be cured. Apart from this, in this disease the tissues of the lungs become hard, due to which breathing becomes difficult. In such a situation, respiratory failure may occur and death may also occur. According to a study published in ‘Science Direct’, 3 to 5 lakh people are affected by IPF all over the world.
so today ‘medical certificate‘I will talk about Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. You will also learn that-
- What are the symptoms of IPF?
- What are its risk factors?
- What is the treatment for IPF and how to manage it?
What is IPF?
IPF is a chronic lung condition. In this disease, the tissues around the alveoli in the lungs become thick and hard. If you have ever seen a picture of a lung, it has many branches growing out like a tree. There are many clusters in it like balloons in between. These are the alveoli. These help in breathing.
When the tissues around them become thick, the lungs have to exert a lot of force to breathe, which leads to wounds. In this, respiratory problems increase with the passage of time.
The word idiopathic in this disease means that the cause of the health condition is unknown. Pulmonologist Dr. Vivek Gundappa says that the exact cause of IPF has not been ascertained yet. However, some doctors believe that there could be genetic and environmental reasons behind it. It is also difficult to diagnose this disease.
What are the symptoms of IPF?
Dr. Vivek Gundappa says that usually the symptoms of IPF develop gradually. Therefore, it is a little difficult to detect it quickly. Despite this, if we pay attention, our body is giving signals like difficulty in breathing, restlessness and weakness. What are its other symptoms, see in the graphic:
Risk Factors of IPF
No exact cause behind IPF has been identified yet. Despite this, there are some conditions due to which its risk may increase. In this, smoking and family history are considered major risk factors. Apart from this, there are many other risk factors, see the graphic:
What is the treatment for IPF?
Dr. Vivek Gundappa says that there can be no cure for this disease. Despite this, giving some treatment can make it easier for the patient to breathe. If the lungs are deteriorating rapidly due to disease then it can be reduced.
When doctors treat IPF, they try to control the symptoms rather than cure the disease. For this, some medicines, oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation can be given.
Some common questions and answers related to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Question: How is IPF diagnosed?
answer: The symptoms of IPF develop slowly over time. Therefore it is difficult to diagnose it immediately. The lesions in the lungs caused by IPF look similar to those caused by other diseases. Therefore it is difficult to detect. To confirm this, most of the following tests may have to be done:
- chest x-ray
- High-resolution computer tomography (HRCT) scan
- exercise testing
- lungs function test
- lung biopsy
- Pulse oximetry (oxygen level in blood)
- Blood gas test (oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood)
Question: How long do people live with IPF?
answer: According to the American Heart Association, IPF usually affects people between the ages of 50 and 70. By this age people’s body is no longer capable of facing any disease. Therefore, after diagnosis of IPF, people live only 3-5 years.
However, how long someone will live with IPF also depends on the following factors:
- How old is the person?
- What is the overall health condition of the person?
- How fast the disease is progressing.
- How severe the symptoms are.
Question: If someone has IPF, what should he avoid in food?
answer: If a person has IPF, he should eat very little salt and sugar in his diet. Saturated and trans fats should also be avoided. Overall, fried and processed foods should not be eaten.
Question: Does the effect of IPF differ on everyone?
answer: Yes, IPF is considered unpredictable. Its symptoms may vary from patient to patient.
In some people with IPF, the lesions in the lungs grow slowly, while in others the lesions may grow very quickly. If symptoms get worse rapidly it can be fatal.
Question: If someone has IPF, what changes should he make in his lifestyle for management?
answer: Usually, after being diagnosed with IPF, a person survives only for 3-4 years. Despite this, to make life easier and increase life expectancy, we should make the following changes in lifestyle:
- If you smoke, stop it immediately to slow or reduce lung damage.
- Keep exercising regularly as physical fitness is very important for overall well-being.
- Follow a balanced diet plan to strengthen the immune system.
- Get vaccination done on time to prevent infections like pneumonia and influenza that damage the lungs.
- If any person has respiratory infection then maintain distance from him.
Apart from this, keep taking the medicines, vitamins and supplements given by the doctor on time.
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