Tag: Drug induced pneumonitis

Drug-induced pneumonitis accounts for 3-5% of all interstitial lung disease cases, with increasing frequency due to new targeted and immune checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapies. Understanding what are the grades of drug induced pneumonitis is essential for proper diagnosis and management, as the condition's severity dictates the necessary course of action.

Unlike an infectious lung condition like pneumonia, pneumonitis is lung inflammation that is *not* caused by infection and is instead triggered by irritants. As a result, determining what is the best medicine for pneumonitis first requires a precise diagnosis of the specific trigger and severity of the condition.

The onset of drug-induced pneumonitis can occur anywhere from within hours of exposure to years after a medication is started. Understanding this unpredictable and highly variable timeline of drug-induced pneumonitis is crucial for both accurate diagnosis and patient management. It is a form of interstitial lung disease (ILD) that develops as an adverse reaction to certain medications.