Category: Pulmonary health

While it's a common misconception, the drug ELIQUIS (apixaban) does not actively dissolve existing blood clots. Instead, it works as an anticoagulant, stopping clots from growing larger and preventing new ones from forming, giving the body's own system time to break down the blockage naturally.

While over 900,000 Americans are affected by venous thromboembolism (VTE) each year, the role of daily medication can be confusing. It is crucial to clarify the specific applications and limitations of common medications like aspirin, which leads to the vital question: **does aspirin help with pulmonary embolism**?

While the incidence of drug-induced lung injuries is reportedly rising, it remains a rare but severe side effect of certain therapies. This article explores **what medications cause lung scarring**, covering the drug classes involved, mechanisms of damage, and how this serious condition is managed.

Metformin is one of the most widely prescribed oral medications globally for managing type 2 diabetes. While many patients wonder about the potential respiratory side effects of their medications, available evidence indicates that metformin does not cause pleural fibrosis; in fact, some studies suggest it may have protective, anti-fibrotic properties.

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) affects up to 140,000 people in the United States, with treatments aimed at slowing its progression. For those prescribed pirfenidone, a key question is: **how long does it take for pirfenidone to work?** The effects are gradual, often taking several months.

Clinical trials, such as the open-label extension of the INPULSIS trials (INPULSIS-ON), have shown that the efficacy of nintedanib in slowing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progression can be sustained over the long term, with some patients treated for up to 68 months. This evidence confirms that for chronic and progressive conditions, the answer to "how long should I take nintedanib?" is often for an extended period, potentially indefinitely.

According to a 2023 meta-analysis, switching to riociguat from phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors can significantly improve hemodynamics and exercise capacity in some pulmonary hypertension patients. While no direct generic equivalent exists, the question of **what drug is similar to riociguat** involves exploring other medications acting on the same or related pathways to address the condition.

While chemically related to natural compounds, treprostinil is not a true prostaglandin, but rather a stable, synthetic version known as a prostacyclin analog. This crucial distinction explains why it is an effective treatment for conditions like pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

OFEV (nintedanib), first approved by the FDA in 2014 for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is an antifibrotic medication that has since gained additional indications. This therapy is designed to slow the progression of various interstitial lung diseases by targeting specific signaling pathways involved in the formation of scar tissue.

Drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DI-ILD) accounts for approximately 3–5% of all interstitial lung disease cases [1.7.3, 1.7.5]. Understanding which drug is more likely to cause pulmonary toxicity is crucial for both patients and clinicians to mitigate risks associated with common medications.