Drug-Induced Pulmonary Disease By Joyce Lee, MD, MAS, University of Colorado School of Medicine Reviewed / Revised Jun 2021 | Modified Sep 2022 View Patient Education Treatment Prevention Topic Resources Substances With Toxic Pulmonary... Drug-induced pulmonary disease is not a single disorder, but rather a common clinical problem in which a patient without previous pulmonary disease develops respiratory symptoms, chest x-ray changes, deterioration of pulmonary function, histologic changes, or several of these findings in association with drug therapy.