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On Monday, artist Zakir Hussain passed away at age 73.
Hussain, the tabla maestro, died at a hospital in the United States.
Hussain, who had been in the hospital for weeks, is survived by his wife Antonia Minnecola and their daughters Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi.
Born on March 9, 1951, Hussain was the son of legendary tabla master Ustad Alla Rakha.
Hussain’s family said that he died of complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
But what do we know about the disease?
Let’s take a closer look:
What is it?
According to the US National Institute of Health website, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a disease of the lungs.
It impacts the tissue around the air sacs in the lung – also known as the alveoli. IPF occurs when lung tissue becomes thick and stiff.
However, the reason why this happens is unknown.
In fact the name itself is a giveaway.
According to the American Lung Association, “idiopathic” means the cause of the condition remains unknown.
Over the course of the illness, permanent scarring can develop in the lungs. This condition, known as fibrosis, makes it harder and harder to breathe.
This, in turn, makes it difficult for oxygen to pass from the lungs to the blood.
Those with a family history of IPF – like a parent or sibling – are at greater risk of developing it.
Age also plays a factor with the disease spotted most often in people who are in their 60s and 70s.
Smoking is also thought to be a common lifestyle risk for those with IPF or those that might develop it.
Men are more likely to develop IPF compared to women.
Shortness of breath and coughing are two major symptoms of IPF.
The former at first may occur only during exercise. However, slowly this may even take place when you are resting. The second is a dry cough that slowly gets worse and repeated bouts of uncontrollable coughing.
Other symptoms include
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Aching muscles and joints
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Clubbing , which is a widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes
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Extreme tiredness
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Gradual, unintended weight loss
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Generally feeling unwell
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Rapid, shallow breathing
The symptoms can also get worse as the disease advances.
Indian Express quoted Dr Deepak Bhasin, senior director, Pulmonology, Critical Care, Max Hospital, Mohali, as saying, “It is a chronic, progressive lung disease characterised by scarring (fibrosis) of the lung tissue, leading to irreversible loss of lung function. The exact cause of IPF is unknown, so it is termed idiopathic.”
“Unlike many lung conditions, IPF specifically targets the interstitium, the tissue surrounding the air sacs (alveoli), making it harder for oxygen to move into the bloodstream. Over time, this leads to persistent breathlessness, fatigue, and reduced quality of life,” the newspaper quoted Dr Mahavir Modi, pulmonologist and sleep specialist, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune as saying.
According to the UK NHS, prevention is the best cure when it comes to IPF.
It lists four major precautions that can be taken to prevent IPF.
Is there a cure?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for IPF.
However, medicine, rehab and other procedures can help maintain quality of life.
These include
Other options are
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Oxygen therapy
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Ventilator support
The final option is surgery.
Those with severe cases of IPF can get a lung transplant.
However, here infection is a major risk. The body could also reject the new organ.
Those who opt for this route will also have to take medicine for the rest of their lives to stop the body from rejecting the organ.
Dr Avdhesh Bansal, a senior consultant in the department of respiratory and critical care at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, told PTI that anti-fibrotic medicines and oxygen can delay the progression of the disease, prolonging life by seven-eight years.
“Lung transplant definitely offers a cure in selected patients but has to be done at the right time, taking into account the severity of the condition, age and other health factors. Transplant also has a life of five to six years,” Bansal added.
With inputs from agencies