Drug-Induced Pulmonary Disease

Alternate Names : Medication-Induced Pulmonary Disease, Drug-Induced Lung Disease

What can be done to prevent the condition?

This type of reaction to a medication is rarely predictable. Therefore, the initial episode of the lung disease often cannot be avoided. Once a person knows that a drug causes this reaction, the drug should be avoided if possible. Chemotherapy medications such as bleomycin, carmustine and busulfan can cause lung disease when the total dosage the person has received accumulates to a high level. To avoid this problem, the healthcare provider will keep track of the amount of the medication the individual gets.

What are the long-term effects of the condition?

The lung disease will often disappear and the lungs return to normal when the medication is discontinued. If this is the case, there will be no long term effects. Occasionally, there may be scarring and permanent damage to the lungs. In the case of a severe allergic reaction or asthma attack, death may result.

What are the risks to others?

There are no risks to others.