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Pulmonary Fibrosis Causes & Symptoms
Pulmonary fibrosis is a scarring of the lungs. Some of the more common causes of pulmonary fibrosis are exposure to environmental agents such as asbestos, chronic inflammatory conditions, chronic conditions such as lupus or arthritis, and exposure to radiation therapy. In some patients, the cause is not immediately identifiable, and their condition does not respond to medication.
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Some of the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are coughing, increased fatigue during exercise, and shortness of breath. When shortness of breath during exertion gets worse over time, a doctor may suspect pulmonary fibrosis. To help with this diagnosis, a doctor will probably order a pulmonary function test, which is a test to determine how well the lungs and airways are working and allows the doctor to intervene when lung function is declining.
Pulmonary fibrosis can cause oxygen levels in the blood to drop which can lead to pulmonary hypertension. Since pulmonary hypertension can cause heart failure, people with pulmonary fibrosis are often treated with oxygen to prevent pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary fibrosis patients may also be at increased risk for a pulmonary embolism where blood clots travel to the lung. To prevent this from happening, they may be treated with blood thinners.
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