Asked by: Bari Scharf
medical health lung and respiratory health

Are there different types of pulmonary fibrosis?

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Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a form of interstitial lung disease that causes scarring in the lungs. There are over 200 different types of PF and in most cases, there's no known cause. Here's a look at some of the different categories of PF.


Besides, what are the different types of pulmonary fibrosis?

There are five main categories of identifiable causes of pulmonary fibrosis: Drug-induced, Radiation-induced, Environmental, Autoimmune, and Occupational. In the United States, Environmental and Autoimmune causes seem to be the most common types of PF of known cause.

Also, what is the progression of pulmonary fibrosis? Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive disease that naturally gets worse over time. This worsening is related to the amount of fibrosis (scarring) in the lungs. As this occurs, a person's breathing becomes more difficult, eventually resulting in shortness of breath, even at rest.

Consequently, is pulmonary fibrosis always fatal?

Affecting some 5 million people worldwide, pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive, fatal lung disease that few survive more than 3-5 years after diagnosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease that causes the lungs to be covered in scar tissue. As the disease progresses, the shortness of breath that accompanies it gets worse.

Is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis the same as pulmonary fibrosis?

When an interstitial lung disease does include scar tissue in the lung, we call it pulmonary fibrosis. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a scarring disease of the lungs of unknown cause.

Related Question Answers

Assma Absattarov

Professional

Can pulmonary fibrosis go into remission?

There is no cure for pulmonary fibrosis. Current treatments are aimed at preventing more lung scarring, relieving symptoms and helping you stay active and healthy. Treatment cannot fix lung scarring that has already occurred.

Gift Mon

Professional

How do pulmonary fibrosis patients die?

The most common cause of death in IPF patients has been reported to be the disease itself followed by cardiac disorders and lung cancer [2,3,4,5]. A rapid deterioration of the disease may be caused by pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, infections or heart failure [6].

Willibald Meegen

Professional

Is pulmonary fibrosis a genetic disease?

Although most cases of pulmonary fibrosis are not genetic and often unknown when it is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The disease does not necessarily pass down from one generation to the next, in some cases of genetic IPF there are no known cases of it within the family.

Abdelouahid Elowitz

Explainer

Can you live a long life with pulmonary fibrosis?

The average life expectancy of patients with pulmonary fibrosis is three to five years after diagnosis. However, early detection of the disease is key to slowing progression, and conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can impact disease prognosis.

Inocenta Bossert

Explainer

What is the best treatment for pulmonary fibrosis?

Your doctor may recommend newer medications, including pirfenidone (Esbriet) and nintedanib (Ofev). These medications may help slow the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Both medications have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Atila Lamert

Explainer

What drugs can cause pulmonary fibrosis?

Its causes include chronic administration of some drugs for example bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, amiodarone, procainamide, penicillamine, gold and nitrofurantoin; exposure to certain environmental factors such as gases, asbestos and silica and bacterial or fungal infections.

Xiaoyun Bradt

Pundit

What does lung fibrosis feel like?

What does idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) feel like? This scarring makes it harder for air to pass in and out of the sacs. That's why you feel out of breath. If you have IPF, you may have rapid, shallow breathing or a dry, hacking cough that doesn't go away.

Martiria Micha

Pundit

How do you get pulmonary fibrosis?

Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue makes it more difficult for your lungs to work properly. The scarring associated with pulmonary fibrosis can be caused by a multitude of factors.

Miglena Amuedo

Pundit

Is pulmonary fibrosis a painful death?

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a relentlessly progressive lung disease that commonly results in respiratory failure and death. However, the cause of death in these patients has not previously been fully defined. Acute exacerbation of IPF was the most common immediate cause of death (29%).

Constance Ceallachan

Pundit

What is the longest anyone has lived with pulmonary fibrosis?

There is currently no cure for pulmonary fibrosis but treatments and therapies are improving all the time. The average life expectancy of someone with pulmonary fibrosis is three to five years but if it's caught early, treatment can help slow down the progression of the disease.

Doris Barenboim

Pundit

Does oxygen help with pulmonary fibrosis?

Oxygen therapy is commonly prescribed for patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF). The therapy is used to treat low levels of oxygen in the blood, which is caused by scarring in the lungs. A steady flow of pure oxygen increases the concentration of oxygen in the lungs and elevates oxygen levels in the bloodstream.

Anastasiya Urigoen

Teacher

Can you fly with pulmonary fibrosis?

While there is no reason why people with Pulmonary Fibrosis should not travel, there are some precautions to take in advance. People who suffer from this condition should be able to travel by air, as long as their condition is stable and has not degenerated recently.

Lorenza Hoderlein

Teacher

Can I live 20 years with COPD?

The American Lung Association reports that COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States, but as a chronic, progressive disease, most patients will live with the disease for many years. The disease is not curable, yet it is possible to achieve some level of normalcy despite its challenges.

Gioacchino Albarracin

Teacher

Can a lung transplant cure pulmonary fibrosis?

There is no cure for pulmonary fibrosis (PF), but there are treatments that can slow down the progression of the disease and help patients manage their symptoms. Around 90 percent of lung transplant patients live for a year after the procedure, but this figure falls to 25 percent over 10 years.

Augusto Jorger

Teacher

Can pulmonary fibrosis be misdiagnosed?

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an irreversible disease characterized by progressive loss of the ability of the lungs to effectively transport oxygen to the bloodstream due to scarring. IPF can share symptoms with other forms of respiratory and cardiovascular illness and is frequently misdiagnosed.

Sadek Sca

Reviewer

What are the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis?

The most common physical symptoms in the final stages are:
  • feeling more severely out of breath.
  • reducing lung function making breathing harder.
  • having frequent flare-ups.
  • finding it difficult to maintain a healthy body weight.
  • feeling more anxious and depressed.

Samual Luhsen

Reviewer

How do you stop coughing with pulmonary fibrosis?

Physicians can prescribe from a wide range of therapeutics that include benzonatate, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), and over-the-counter remedies such as cough drops. Prescription narcotics, nebulized lidocaine, amitriptyline, gabapentin, and baclofen are also prescribed to control cough in PF patients.

Kai Macanas

Reviewer

Does exercise help pulmonary fibrosis?

Exercise is generally recommended for people with chronic lung disease including pulmonary fibrosis. Although exercise training will not improve your lung condition, it does improve cardiovascular conditioning and the ability of your muscles to use oxygen, and may decrease symptoms of shortness of breath.

Mbark Uliano

Reviewer

Is pulmonary fibrosis a death sentence?

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a little-known disease that kills as many people each year as breast cancer. A diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is not much better than a death sentence, given a survival rate averaging 4 to 6 years as the disease robs its victim of the ability to breathe.

Co-Authored By:

EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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28th March, 2020

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