Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)
Ofev® (nintedanib esilate)
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a condition in which the tissue in your lungs becomes thickened, stiff and scarred over time. The medical term for this scarring is fibrosis. As a result, scarring reduces the ability to transfer oxygen from the lungs into the bloodstream and it becomes difficult to breathe deeply. That is why you may feel out of breath during daily activities. However, the symptoms of IPF may be different for each person.
The name IPF is used when the cause of the lung scarring cannot be found. IPF uses three medical terms to describe one disease:
- Idiopathic: when the cause of the disease is not known
- Pulmonary: the medical term for lungs
- Fibrosis: scarring of lung tissue
IPF management may include medical treatment, pulmonary rehabilitation to help manage symptoms, supplemental oxygen to keep oxygen levels at a healthy level or lung transplantation.
What is Ofev®?
Ofev® is part of a group of medicines known as 'anti-fibrotics' and contains the active ingredient nintedanib. It is used in the treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis or other chronic fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) with a progressive phenotype.
Possible side effects
The most frequent side effects which may be experienced when taking Ofev® (nintedanib) include diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, decreased appetite, weight loss and abnormal liver test results.
NP-GB-102304September 2021
