Update on New Treatments for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic disorder that results in significant declines in respiratory function and a high mortality rate only a few years after diagnosis. Medical management of IPF has been attempted with various types of medications, such as immunosuppressants, anticoagulants, endothelin receptor antagonists, and anti-inflammatory drugs with less than conclusive results. However, with the approval of nintedanib and pirfenidone following the IMPULSIS-1, IMPULSIS-2, and ASCEND data, there is hope that medical therapy may be able to slow the progression of IPF and decrease the rate of acute exacerbations in this patient population.