A Science Infographic on How IPF, Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, affects patients
IPF, or Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, is a serious, irreversible lung disease. The lung tissue of IPF patients becomes progressively scarred making it increasingly difficult to breathe. Among the most common risk factors we can find: certain medicines, Cigarette smocking, Viral or bacterial lung infections, genetoc predisposition, occupational and environmental contaminants, acid reflux disease (GERD).
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is a very deceptive disease, over 50% of IPF patients are initially misdiagnosed, with 60% of IPF patients receiving delayed treatment, often after switching more than 2 doctors. About 50% of IPF patients survive between 2 and 5 years after a diagnosis.
Among symptoms for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis we can find shortness of breath, A cough that does not go away, feeling very tired, clubbing of fingernails.
How is life with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis? It is difficult to breathe for a patient with IPF than a normal person, to start with. A healthy adult has 15 breaths for each minute at rest, whereas an IPF adult patient breathes 25 for each minute, at rest. In 6 minutes a healthy adult can walk 200m further than an adult with IPF, and ultimately takes 70% more effort to people with IPF to do the same activity.
For more information on IPF please see the following links:
http://www.webmd.com/lung/what-is-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis#1
https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis-ipf
https://www.lung.ca/lung-health/lung-disease/idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis
