Family physicians play an important role in the early detection of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) has partnered with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BI) to bring you key educational content through its Partners in Health program.
PF is a common threat across interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), where the buildup of extracellular matrix infiltrating the lung parenchyma leads to fibrosis and causes the lung tissue to become thick and stiff.
PF may continue to progress and cause irreversible damage that compromises function. There are over 200 types of ILDs. ILDs are rare lung disorders with known and unknown causes.
- Lung function decline
- Early mortality
- Worsening quality of life
- Worsening respiratory symptoms.
A progressive form of pulmonary fibrosis can develop in ~ 25% of patients with non-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) ILDs, according to a survey of physicians.
As the symptoms of PF overlap with those of common diseases such as asthma, COPD, or CHF, it is often misdiagnosed. Up to 55% of patients were misdiagnosed at least once. Family physicians are often the first point of contact when patients experience chronic breathlessness, so it is important we provide our members with the educational tools to recognize and refer patients to a pulmonary specialist if PF is suspected.
Recognize symptoms early such as a chronic nonproductive cough, dyspnea on exertion, and velcro-like crackles on lung auscultation.
In conjunction with BI, we are pleased to offer you a comprehensive collection of educational resources to assist you with recognizing and referring patients with PF, which can be accessed via https://www.insightsinild.com/pfforthehcp/#section_recognize or through our Partners in Health webpage where you can find useful tools and resources.