Product Description
by Nelson Collins (Author)
PREVIEW
Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) is a type of rare lung disease that causes the tissue (interstitium) around the air sacs (alveoli) within the lungs to become thickened and scarred - this is called fibrosis. This scarring makes the lungs stiff which makes it increasingly difficult to breathe deeply. This stops the efficient delivery of oxygen into the bloodstream where it is needed to be transported to the rest of the body.
There are many types of PF. Some people with PF may already have features of other associated conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a specific disease where the underlying cause is unknown. It is important for your healthcare team to identify the underlying type of PF, to help determine the most appropriate treatment options for your condition. These webpages provide information that is common across the different types of PF. For information that is specific to your diagnosis, it is important that you speak with your healthcare team.
Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive disease that causes lung tissue to become thickened and scarred. This scarring makes the lungs stiff, making it increasingly difficult to breathe deeply. It can be easy to dismiss the common symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis as ageing or lack of fitness but breathlessness, cough, fatigue and unexplained weight loss shouldn't be ignored. Early diagnosis and treatment can help slow disease progression and improve quality of life. Learn more about pulmonary fibrosis and talk to your GP today.
Researchers currently believe that a combination of exposure to lung irritants like certain chemicals, smoking, and infections, along with genetics and immune system activity, play key roles in pulmonary fibrosis.
It was once thought that the condition was caused by inflammation. Now scientists believe that there is an abnormal healing process in the lungs that leads to scarring. The formation of significant lung scarring eventually becomes pulmonary fibrosis.
