Skip to main content
 

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Editor's Commentary
    • Coming Next Month
    • Archives
    • Most-Read Papers of 2021
  • Authors
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submit a Manuscript
  • Reviewers
    • Reviewer Information
    • Create Reviewer Account
    • Reviewer Guidelines: Original Research
    • Reviewer Guidelines: Reviews
    • Appreciation of Reviewers
  • CRCE
    • Through the Journal
    • JournalCasts
    • AARC University
    • PowerPoint Template
  • Open Forum
    • 2022 Call for Abstracts
    • 2021 Abstracts
    • Previous Open Forums
  • Podcast
    • English
    • Español
    • Portugûes
    • 国语
  • Videos
    • Video Abstracts
    • Author Interviews
    • Highlighted Articles
    • The Journal

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Association for Respiratory Care
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
American Association for Respiratory Care

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Editor's Commentary
    • Coming Next Month
    • Archives
    • Most-Read Papers of 2021
  • Authors
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submit a Manuscript
  • Reviewers
    • Reviewer Information
    • Create Reviewer Account
    • Reviewer Guidelines: Original Research
    • Reviewer Guidelines: Reviews
    • Appreciation of Reviewers
  • CRCE
    • Through the Journal
    • JournalCasts
    • AARC University
    • PowerPoint Template
  • Open Forum
    • 2022 Call for Abstracts
    • 2021 Abstracts
    • Previous Open Forums
  • Podcast
    • English
    • Español
    • Portugûes
    • 国语
  • Videos
    • Video Abstracts
    • Author Interviews
    • Highlighted Articles
    • The Journal
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
Research ArticleSymposium Papers

Diagnosis and Management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Implications for Respiratory Care

Maria Angela C Hospenthal
Respiratory Care April 2006, 51 (4) 382-391;
Maria Angela C Hospenthal
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, and with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
  • Article
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Although poorly understood, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the most common of the idiopathic interstitial lung diseases. Its etiology is unknown, but how this fibrotic process develops in the lung has been studied over the last 60 years. It is a relatively rare disease, afflicting those 50–70 years of age, slightly more common among men than women, without racial predilection. The most common complaint is progressive shortness of breath. Pulmonary function testing reveals a restrictive ventilatory defect with a diminished diffusion capacity. The lungs demonstrate fibrotic and cystic areas interspersed with normal lung on radiographic and pathologic examination. No definitive medical treatment is available, although most patients are given trials of corticosteroids, alone or in combination with cytotoxic agents. On average, patients survive 2–4 years after diagnosis. Lung transplantation has been the only therapy shown to improve survival of those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

  • interstitial
  • lung diseases
  • pulmonary fibrosis
  • pulmonary function testing
  • fibrosing alveolitis
  • lung biopsy
  • management

Footnotes

  • Correspondence: Maria Angela C Hospenthal MD, Audie Murphy Memorial Veterans Affairs Hospital, 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard, 111E, San Antonio TX 78229. E-mail: hospenthal{at}uthscsa.edu.
  • Copyright © 2006 by Daedalus Enterprises Inc.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Respiratory Care: 51 (4)
Respiratory Care
Vol. 51, Issue 4
1 Apr 2006
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Cover (PDF)
  • Index by author

 

Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Association for Respiratory Care.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Diagnosis and Management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Implications for Respiratory Care
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Association for Respiratory Care
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Association for Respiratory Care web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Diagnosis and Management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Implications for Respiratory Care
Maria Angela C Hospenthal
Respiratory Care Apr 2006, 51 (4) 382-391;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
Diagnosis and Management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Implications for Respiratory Care
Maria Angela C Hospenthal
Respiratory Care Apr 2006, 51 (4) 382-391;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

Keywords

  • interstitial
  • lung diseases
  • pulmonary fibrosis
  • pulmonary function testing
  • fibrosing alveolitis
  • lung biopsy
  • management

Info For

  • Subscribers
  • Institutions
  • Advertisers

About Us

  • About the Journal
  • Editorial Board
  • Reprints/Permissions

AARC

  • Membership
  • Meetings
  • Clinical Practice Guidelines

More

  • Contact Us
  • RSS
American Association for Respiratory Care

Print ISSN: 0020-1324        Online ISSN: 1943-3654

© Daedalus Enterprises, Inc.

Powered by HighWire