Header Awareness Month

Know Where Pulmonary Fibrosis Could Be Heading

Know Where Pulmonary Fibrosis Could Be Heading
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Pulmonary fibrosis is when healthy lung tissue turns into scar tissue, restricting oxygen supply to the bloodstream.1,2  Symptoms that may be caused by pulmonary fibrosis include breathlessness, a persistent cough, and fatigue which can worsen over time.3,4

People living with interstitial lung disease (ILD) may go on to develop pulmonary fibrosis and some conditions such as scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis can increase a person’s risk.5,6,7

The lung damage associated with pulmonary fibrosis is irreversible and can happen suddenly, so it’s important for people at risk to be aware of the potential signs.8

Lung function can be preserved if pulmonary fibrosis is diagnosed and managed early.9,10

Speak to your doctor if you suspect pulmonary fibrosis

Discover more about diagnosing pulmonary fibrosis

People living with pulmonary fibrosis may have symptoms that are common across many diseases, meaning diagnosis can take a long time.10

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Helpful resources for you:

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References

  1. Asthma and Lung UK. What is pulmonary fibrosis? Available at: https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/pulmonary-fibrosis/what-is-pulmonary-fibrosis [Accessed August 2023].

  2. Martinez FJ, Collard HR, Pardo A, et al. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2017;3:17074.

  3. Meltzer EB, Noble PW. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2008;3:8.

  4. Asthma and Lung UK. Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis. Available at: https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/pulmonary-fibrosis/symptoms [Accessed August 2023].

  5. Kolb M, Vašáková M. The natural history of progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases. Respir Res 2019;20(1).

  6. Bergamasco A, Hartmann N, Wallace L, Verpillat P. Epidemiology of systemic sclerosis and systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease. Clin Epidemiol. 2019;11:257–273.

  7. Olson A, Gifford A, Inase N, et al. The epidemiology of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung diseases at risk of a progressive-fibrosing phenotype. Eur Respir Rev. 2018;27(50):180077.

  8. Yu QY, Tang XX. Irreversibility of Pulmonary Fibrosis. Aging Dis. 2022 Feb 1;13(1):73-86.

  9. Pleasants R, Tighe RM. Management of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Ann Pharmacother. 2019 Dec;53(12):1238-1248.

  10. Cosgrove GP, Bianchi P, Danese S, Lederer DJ. Barriers to timely diagnosis of interstitial lung disease in the real world: the INTENSITY survey. BMC Pulm Med. 2018;18(1):9.