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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you have hypersensitivity or chemical pneumonitis, avoiding allergens is a common-sense approach to treatment. By eliminating exposure to the allergen or chemical irritating your lungs, you'll likely notice that your symptoms lessen.
In severe cases of pneumonitis, treatment may include:
- Corticosteroids. Drugs that reduce inflammation, such as prednisone, can help relieve the symptoms of pneumonitis. Corticosteroids are usually taken as a pill. These drugs work by suppressing your immune system, reducing inflammation in your lungs. However, long-term corticosteroid use also increases your risk of developing infections and is associated with the thinning of bones (osteoporosis).
- Antibiotics. If you have a bacterial infection in your lungs, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic, which may be given through a vein in your arm or taken as a pill, depending on the severity of the infection.
- Oxygen therapy. If you're having a lot of trouble breathing, you may need oxygen therapy through a mask or plastic tubing with prongs that fit into your nostrils. Some people need oxygen therapy constantly, while others might need it only during exercise or sleep.
References
- Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 31st ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:1496.
- Rosenow EC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 14, 2011.
- Hypersensitivity pneumonitis. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/hp/hp_all.html. Accessed March 31, 2011.
- Rose CS, et al. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In: Mason RJ, et al. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/192068760-2/0/1288/0.html. Accessed March 31, 2011.
- King TE. Epidemiology and causes of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 31, 2011.
- Machtay M. Pulmonary complications of anticancer treatment. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1709/0.html. Accessed March 31, 2011.
- Selman M, et al. Diagnosis and management of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. In: Mason RJ, et al. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/192068760-2/0/1288/0.html. Accessed March 31, 2011.
- King TE. Diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 31, 2011.
- King TE. Treatment and prognosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 31, 2011.
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