Interstitial Lung Disease

Treatment

The first treatment step is identifying and removing any possible environmental causes. Some treatments used to repair lung damage include:

• Medications
  • Corticosteroids
  • Cytotoxic and antioxidant agents
  • Immunomodulatory treatments
  • Vasodilators
  • Aerosolized granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor to treat pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
  • Investigational drugs (research)
• Smoking cessation
• Home oxygen therapy helps people feel better and lead more active lives, but doesn't stop or reverse lung damage.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation is available for people with chronic pulmonary disease and their families.
• Lung transplant is an option for some people. Mayo Clinic in Florida and Minnesota have successful lung transplant programs.

Read more about interstitial lung disease treatment at MayoClinic.com.