Pulmonary fibrosis
| Pulmonary fibrosis | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis |
 | |
| A chest X-ray demonstrating pulmonary fibrosis believed to be due to amiodarone. | |
| Specialty | Pulmonology |
| Symptoms | Shortness of breath, dry cough, feeling tired, weight loss, nail clubbing |
| Complications | Pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failure, pneumothorax, lung cancer |
| Causes | Environmental pollution, certain medications, connective tissue diseases, interstitial lung disease, unknown |
| Treatment | Oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, lung transplantation |
| Medication | Pirfenidone, nintedanib |
| Prognosis | Poor |
| Frequency | >5 million people |
Pulmonary fibrosis (literally "scarring of the lungs") is a respiratory disease in which scars are formed in the lung tissues, leading to serious breathing problems. Scar formation, the addition of extra fibrous connective tissue (the process called fibrosis), leads to thickening of the walls, and causes low oxygen supply in the blood.
As a result patients suffer from shortness of breath.[1]
In some patients the cause of the disease can be diagnosed, but in others the cause is unknown, a condition called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. There is no known cure for the scars and damage in the lung due to pulmonary fibrosis.[2]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Mayo Clinic Staff. "Definition [of pulmonary fibrosis]". Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
- ↑ "Pulmonary Fibrosis". MedicineNet, Inc. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
