What Is Pulmonary Fibrosis?
Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease where there is scarring of the lungs—called fibrosis—which makes it difficult to breathe. This is because the scarring causes the tissues in the lungs to get thick and stiff and makes it hard to absorb oxygen into the bloodstream.
Key Points
- Pulmonary fibrosis is an interstitial lung disease. Interstitial lung diseases are a group of conditions that cause inflammation and scarring around the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs.
- Inhaling hazardous chemicals can be one cause of pulmonary fibrosis. PF can also be caused by certain diseases, medication and genetics. Most often the cause is unknown. This is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
Page last updated: April 18, 2024
