To mark Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Awareness Week, which this year falls on September 14-22, Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the worlds leading pharmaceutical companies, has started a new Arabic website to support patients living with the ailment in the region. Including the Arabic language, the online program has been created to give patients, caregivers, and healthcare experts with a dependable source of knowledge on the disease, its causes, symptoms, risk factors and treatments.

In the Middle East alone, about 60 million people are expected to be at risk for contracting respiratory diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis. This is due to the high rates of smoking and obesity, as well as the severe weather situations in the region. 2 IPF, one of the less obvious respiratory disorders, happens when lung tissue becomes damaged, pointing to the growth of scar tissue that makes it tough to breathe.

Symptoms of IPF can include a dry cough, chest pain, leg inflammation, shortness of breath and fatigue, among others. Concerning risk factors, almost everyone diagnosed with IPF is over 50 and about 75% of those diagnosed are men. Genetics also play a vital role, with up to 20% of people who have IPF beyond the world becoming a family member with similar lung disease.

The Arabic edition of the website was launched in acknowledgement to the heightened need for more information about IPF in the word following the initial expansion of the English website, launched by Boehringer Ingelheim a year ago. Titled: Living with Pulmonary Fibrosis, the website includes various characteristics to support patients, families, caregivers and healthcare specialists across the Middle East. Information featured on the website can be obtained in connection with proposed therapies and checkups and includes facts and statistics about the disease, its symptoms and risk factors, medication options, advice for patients, and leadership for families and caregivers.

Other resources include frequently asked proposals and a glossary of medical terms to help increase knowledge and understanding of the condition. As an uncommon respiratory disease, IPF can be testing to diagnose and we at Boehringer Ingelheim are dedicated to supporting patients living with rare diseases and assisting them to live their lives to the fullest, said Dr Mohamed Meshref, Regional Medical and Regulatory Director at Boehringer Ingelheim Middle East, Turkey and Africa.