Pulmonary Fibrosis: Prognosis, Symptoms, Treatment and Causes

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Pulmonary Fibrosis
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What is Pulmonary Fibrosis?

• Pulmonary fibrosis  is also known as a group of
  diseases which further leads to interstitial lung
  damage and ultimately fibrosis loss of the
  elasticity of the lungs. It is a chronic
  condition which is characterized by the shortness
  of breath.There are more than 100 related
  diseases of the lung which are known as
  interstitial lung diseases (ILD), and pulmonary
  fibrosis is the most common of all
  the interstitial lung diseases (ILD).
• Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the
  lung tissue becomes thickened, stiff and scarred
  over a period of time. The development of the
  scar tissue is called fibrosis.

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What is Pulmonary Fibrosis?
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• The lungs lose their ability to transfer oxygen
  into the bloodstream, as the lung tissue becomes
  scarred and thicker.As a result, the brain and
  other organs dont get enough oxygen which they
  need. The scarring generally starts at the edges
  of the lungs and progresses towards the centre
  making it more difficult to breathe.

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What causes Pulmonary Fibrosis?

• Typically, mild scarring of the lung tissue
  occurs first, but, over months and years, the
  normal lung tissue is replaced by more heavily
  scarred lung tissue, which makes it difficult to
  breathe and deliver needed oxygen to the
  body.Even though the cause of pulmonary
  fibrosis is still being investigated, the
  following are considered to be risk factors for
  disease development
• Viral Infections
• Exposure to dust / fumes and smoking
• Age or gender (diagnosis is more common in men
  and older people)
• Acid reflux from the stomach into the lungs

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What causes Pulmonary Fibrosis?
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• Pulmonary fibrosis affects each person
  differently and the disease progresses at varying
  rates. For some, the scarring occurs quickly,
  while in others, it happens over a longer period
  of time. Symptoms also differentiate from
  moderate to severe and may stay the same for a
  while.

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How is Pulmonary Fibrosis diagnosed?

• The diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis can be very
  difficult as the cause is still not known. The
  symptoms are very much similar to those of other
  diseases like asthma, chronic obstructive
  pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart
  failure. Additionally, pulmonary fibrosis can
  co-exist with these diseases..To confirm the
  diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, doctors must
  extract all known causes of fibrotic lung disease
  and therefore it will often take some time to
  explore and eliminate other possible diagnoses.

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How is Pulmonary Fibrosis diagnosed?
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• Confirming diagnosis of the disease may involve
  one or more of the following testsBlood
  tests to extract other diseases
• PFT (Pulmonary Function Test) to measure
  breathing capacity
• X-ray and CT scan of your chest to find out the
  pattern of scarring in your lungs
• Lung cell sample by passing a bronchoscope down
  the breathing tubes in order to examine cells and
  look for signs of inflammation
• Lung biopsy

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What are the symptoms of Pulmonary Fibrosis?

• Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis develop with time
  and may not be noticed until the disease is well
  established. As the disease can be developed
  later in the life, there is a common assumption
  that the breathlessness is just a part of middle
  age. If you feel breathless, you should see your
  doctor.Symptoms may include
• Dry cough (can be chronic, dry, hacking
  coughing).
• The shortness of breath, especially during or
  after physical activity.
• Lasting tiredness.
• Weight loss.
• Advancement of the fingertips and nails (a
  condition called clubbing).

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