Treating ILD is focus of new program

Working to overcome the challenges of treating the many types of interstitial lung diseases is the focus of the new University of Louisville Interstitial Lung Disease Program.

Launched in January, the U of L ILD Program looks to integrate state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques with the latest therapeutic options for the multidisciplinary care of patients with ILD.

► Click HERE for more on the new ILD program

Interstitial lung diseases are a group of lung conditions that have in common a build-up of scar tissue in the lungs (pulmonary fibrosis) thought to be caused by injury and inflammation. The most common symptoms of ILD are shortness of breath with exertion and a dry cough.

The U of L program includes a clinical component under the direction of Dr. Rafael Perez which will focus on the recruitment of patients for clinical trials designed to identify effective treatments for ILD.

Among the primary objectives of the program include investigating the potential benefits of certain substances in preventing lung scarring in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, a serious ILD with no known effective medical therapy.

In addition, the U of L ILD Program will drive the development of new and effective educational tools to better inform physicians, patients and patient's families about ILD and its treatments.