Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

This paper provides an overview of the history of IPF as well as current diagnosis and disease progression. Several common etiologies and treatments for the condition of IPF will be covered in depth. General etiology categories include age, gender, race, smoking habits, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux diseases), viruses, and environmental factors. The current treatment strategies for IPF break into medications, therapy, and standards of care. Grasping all the different factors and management is vital for educating our patients, managing the symptoms, and improving the quality of life of our patients as they take on this challenging disease. Keywords: ild, smoking, idiopathic, treatment, environmental factors.