Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in adults: diagnosis and management

Drugs for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

There are no drugs that can cure idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, but there are drugs used to help with the symptoms, although these are not suitable for everyone. Some people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis use N-acetylcysteine to help their condition, although it hasn't yet been scientifically proven to work. Pirfenidone is a possible treatment for some people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. See Other NICE guidance for details of our guidance on pirfenidone.

Your doctor should not offer any of the following drugs to treat your idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: ambrisentan, azathioprine, bosentan, co-trimoxazole, mycophenolate mofetil, prednisolone, sildenafil and warfarin. However, your doctor might use some of these drugs to treat other illnesses you may have. If you are already taking prednisolone or azathioprine your doctor should talk to you about the potential risks and benefits of stopping, staying on or changing your treatment.