Medications
Many people with pulmonary fibrosis are given medications to manage the condition. The precise medication a patient is given usually depends on the specific type of pulmonary fibrosis the person has. There are types of drugs given to patients with this lung disease, but doctors often recommend two types that help slow down the progression of the disease. These are pirfenidone and nintedanib.
Pirfenidone [2] (sold under the brand names Esbriet, Pirespa, and Pirfenex) helps slow lung scarring by reducing the activity of the immune system. It is approved for use in many countries and is effective in treating mild-to-moderate cases of idiopathic pulmonary disease. It is taken orally three times a day and has some side effects. The drug will usually be stopped if your lung capacity drops by 10 percent or more within one year.
Nintedanib [3], sold as Ofev, is an anti-fibrotic that is used to treat pulmonary fibrosis. It is a newer medication that helps slow down scarring in the lungs. The capsules are taken twice a day and have similar side effects as pirfenidone. If lung capacity continues to reduce greatly or falls by 10 percent within one year, patients are usually taken off the drug.
Other drugs [4] used to treat the condition include N-acetylcysteine, corticosteroids, mycophenolic acid, and azathioprine.