Local area of ​​pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Without self-healing mechanisms, the human body would not be able to withstand aggressive external environment. These processes have a side effect if the factor they oppose has great destructive power. So the protective connective tissue formed in place chronic inflammation alveoli in the lungs, can grow to the point where you are diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, the danger of pathological changes depends on the characteristics; for example, it may be developed under the influence negative factors local (interstitial) fibrosis.

What is pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis This is a disease in which respiratory function is threatened due to the formation of connective tissue in the lungs, which tends to accumulate a critical mass. Speed ​​and degree devastating consequences depends on the characteristics of the disease. Based on the breadth of distribution, fibrosis of the liver or lungs is divided into:

• focal, in which local areas undergo changes.
• diffuse, in which the area of ​​growth and compaction connective tissue covers large areas (pictured) and elasticity lung tissue goes down.

Fibrosis of the pulmonary roots is considered as separate species: exposed to danger large vessels at the base of the lung. By its growth pattern, fibrosis resembles cancer, but in these diseases it is fundamentally different nature and mixing them is wrong. Cancer is a growing conglomerate of DNA-damaged cells of a particular organ; fibrosis is an ordinary, but overgrown scar tissue. Growth process fibrous tissue irreversible, but subject to correction.

Symptoms

Depending on the extent of fibrosis, symptoms vary in severity. In the focal form, the patient may not notice the disease at all at first. At diffuse type the access of air to the pulmonary vessels is closed by fibrous tissue, and the symptoms are not long in coming:

• dry cough;
• shortness of breath is accompanied even by light exertion;
• pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, up to cyanosis (cyanosis);
• swelling of the nail phalanges of the fingers;
• in severe stages - heart failure.

Causes of the disease

Based on their origin, fibrosis is divided into interstitial and idiopathic. The first type occurs due to exposure to external unfavorable factors on the lungs. The causes of the second type of fibrosis have not yet been reliably elucidated by medicine, but this type is distinguished by its aggressive spread to lung tissue. The interstitial type includes fibrosis caused by:

• inhalation of harmful dust fractions with beryllium and silicon dioxide;
• medicines: antibiotics, chemotherapy;
• infectious diseases: tuberculosis (leads to lung cirrhosis), atypical pneumonia, emphysema.

Classification

Pneumofibrosis is classified according to several criteria. Manifestations of the disease differ in symptoms, severity and localization:

Diagnostics

To assess the patient's condition, complaints are taken into account and an examination is carried out. The doctor listens and taps the chest, checks respiratory function and lung capacity. Determination of functionality is carried out with a special test - checking the force of exhalation. Oxygen measurements measure the level of oxygen in the blood. To understand the full clinical picture, the pulmonologist conducts instrumental diagnostics– radiography, magnetic resonance imaging.

Computed tomography is used to determine cystic manifestations and opacities. To identify pulmonary hypertension use an echocardiogram. To study the inner surface and function of the bronchi, bronchoscopy is performed. A lung biopsy (a piece of tissue) is taken using minimally invasive surgery or bronchoalveolar lavage.

Treatment of pulmonary fibrosis

Patients are prescribed complex therapy, consisting of medications and rehabilitation measures. Total fibrosis of the roots and other parts of the lungs is treated with oxygen therapy, which combats shortness of breath and improves the condition during exercise. If the disease has stopped at a severe stage, the patient is prescribed plasmapheresis and hemosorption procedures. Fibrosis cannot be completely cured, but the process of fibrous tissue replacement can be slowed down.

Drug treatment

Medication therapy includes the use of the following medicines, alleviating the patient’s condition:

1. Glucocorticosteroids - Prednisolone is prescribed for a course of 12 weeks, maintenance therapy lasts two years. The dose is 0.5-1.2 g/day.
2. Cytostatics – stop the proliferation of connective tissue. Prescribed if Prednisolone does not give the desired effect. Azathioprine and Cyclophosphamide are prescribed, the course of treatment lasts six months. Take 1.5-2 mg/kg in 3-4 divided doses.
3. Antifibrotic drugs - Colchicine prevents the formation of amyloid fibrils and protein accumulation. Veroshpiron reduces the rate of formation of connective tissue.
4. Antitussives and expectorants – reduce symptoms. These include Eufillin, Salbutamol, Ambroxol.
5. Antibiotics – eliminate the effects of bronchitis and pneumonia. Streptomycin, Metronidazole, Mebendazole are used.
6. Vaccines – to prevent weakening of immunity. It is recommended to receive a pneumococcal vaccine every five years.
7. Cardiac glycosides - Strophanthin and Methotrexate are prescribed to prevent heart failure.

Massotherapy

The use of massage as a therapy for fibrosis relieves coughs, strengthens muscles, and improves blood flow. The procedure is carried out by a specialist who rubs, kneads and taps the back, sometimes using special devices. For the best effect, before the massage process, the patient is asked to drink warm tea, take coughing and expectorant medications. Types of massage for treatment:

• cupping – vacuum cups are used to improve blood flow;
• drainage, vibration - normalize gas exchange;
• honey – warms, stimulates blood circulation.

Oxygen therapy

If a patient is diagnosed with pulmonary fibroma, oxygen therapy is a mandatory stage of treatment. It allows you to increase the volume of oxygen in the lungs, blood and body tissues, eliminate shortness of breath, and improve the patient’s well-being. For treatment, an oxygen mask and special cylinders are used. Oxygen therapy is carried out in a hospital or at home under the supervision of a physician.

Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises can help free the lungs from accumulated mucus, increase their size, eliminate congestion and normalize blood circulation. In addition to this, regular exercise, walking, running, cycling will help. fresh air. Gymnastics are performed every day five times for the following types of breathing:

1. Abdominal – standing, slowly take a deep breath, leave the chest alone, work with the stomach.
2. Thoracic - movement chest during inhalations (rises) and exhalations (falls). Movements are made deeply, slowly, muscles abdominal region remain alone.

Nutrition

To ensure that medications do not cause complications and therapy is effective, peribronchial fibrosis can be treated by following a diet. This A complex approach, including:

• refusal of flour, vegetable oils, food additives, alcoholic beverages, canned food, semi-finished products, salts;
• V daily diet cereals, fruits with vitamin C, vegetables (cabbage, peppers, spinach, tomatoes), meat, fish, seafood, dairy and fermented milk products.

Surgical intervention

IN severe cases and in case of ineffectiveness conservative treatment Lung transplantation is indicated to improve the quality and increase the patient's life expectancy. Indications for it are:

• hypoxia during physical activity;
• decreased vital volume of the lungs;
• severe respiratory failure;
• a strong decrease in the diffusion capacity of the lungs.

A transplant can replace one or both organs. Contraindications to it are the presence of hepatitis, HIV infection, renal failure, heart and liver diseases. The operation lasts 4-7 hours, before the operation the patient is prescribed special therapy, after which he is prescribed lifelong immunosuppressive drugs to eliminate the risk of organ transplant rejection. Possibly partial removal affected areas, without transplantation (lobectomy).

Treatment with folk remedies

Pulmonary fibrosis is an irreversible process, so it can only be slowed down. Doctors do not officially recognize traditional medicine, but sometimes they are allowed to use some recipes:

1. To replenish the amount of oxygen, grind equal amounts of elecampane root and rose hips. Pour a tablespoon of raw material into 1.5 glasses of water, boil, cook for 15 minutes. Pour the broth into a thermos, after three hours drink 100 ml 15 minutes before meals at low acidity stomach and half an hour after increased acidity. The course lasts two months.
2. Rosemary will help clear mucus from your lungs. Grind its branches, pour it equal amount water, simmer in the oven for two hours, cool, mix with the same amount of honey. Take a tablespoon in the morning and at night.

Lifespan

If a patient has fibrotic changes in the lungs, he is recommended to be observed by a pulmonologist every three months. At timely treatment life expectancy increases by 5-7 years. After transplantation, patient survival is 60% after five years. To prevent the onset of the disease, avoid stress, stop smoking and undergo medical examinations in a timely manner.

Video

Pulmonary fibrosis is a pathology characterized by the replacement of an organ’s own tissues with connective tissue. The functioning of the structural units of the lung is disrupted, which leads to respiratory failure. The condition occurs as a reaction of the body to inflammatory processes, isolating foci of inflammation with scar tissue.

Is pulmonary fibrosis cancer? No, the pathology is similar to a cancerous lesion in terms of the nature of its development, but it is a normal, highly overgrown connective tissue.

Fibrous changes in the lungs are irreversible, so the patient cannot recover completely. You can only adjust pathological condition, improve the patient’s quality of life.

Causes of pulmonary fibrosis

The main factors in the development of pathology are:

• Infectious and inflammatory lesions of the respiratory system of a chronic nature;
• Congenital pathologies and hereditary factors;
• Allergies, bronchial asthma;
• Irradiation;
• Long-term use of a number of medications (antibiotics, cytostatics, sulfonamides);
• Diseases infectious nature(tuberculosis, syphilis);
• Injuries, damages;
• Long-term smoking;
• Aggressive impact of negative environmental factors;
• Occupational diseases (asbestosis, anthracosis, amylosis, silicosis, berylliosis).

Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis

The initial stage of the disease is characterized by inconspicuousness and inconspicuousness.

First pronounced symptom pulmonary fibrosis is shortness of breath. Initially, the condition occurs after physical exertion; as the disease progresses, shortness of breath is constantly present, even at rest. Attacks of suffocation do not appear.

Next characteristic feature pathology is a cough that occurs much later than shortness of breath. In most cases, the cough is dry.

There is pain in the sternum, the pain intensifies when trying to take a deep breath.

The gradual development of fibrosis is characterized by a decrease in the patient’s weight. A person can lose up to 14kg within six months.

TO general manifestations include weakness, fast fatiguability. The condition worsens as the disease progresses.

Visual manifestations include cyanosis (cyanosis) skin, mucous membranes. Initially, the phenomenon is observed after physical activity, then it is constantly present.

Severe respiratory failure, which develops as fibrosis progresses, leads to disruption of the inhalation-exhalation process, which becomes shorter.

Forms of pulmonary fibrosis

Pathology is divided into several types:

• Diffuse (linear) or diffuse pulmonary fibrosis is a pronounced proliferation of connective tissue that affects the main part of the organ. The lungs become denser and become smaller in size. Linear fibrosis lungs are pathological process, characterized by extensive damage to organ tissue. The disease disrupts gas exchange functions, structural changes occur;
• Limited or local pulmonary fibrosis presents clearly limited area scar tissue. The affected area thickens and decreases in size. Limited fibrosis lungs is a condition in which the gas exchange functions and mechanical abilities of the organs are not impaired. Clinical manifestations for a long time may be hidden;
• Pulmonary acinar fibrosis is an overgrowth of fibrous tissue affecting the acinar units of organs;
• Focal pulmonary fibrosis is a pathology characterized by the development of several inflammatory foci in the organs. The affected areas may have both clear boundaries and blurred outlines;
• Basal pulmonary fibrosis is a pathological proliferation of connective tissue in the lower part of the organ;
• Hilar fibrosis of the lungs is a lesion of the anatomical connection of the respiratory organs with the mediastinum (aorta, heart, pulmonary artery);
• Fibrosis of the roots of the lungs is an overgrowth of connective tissue that affects the root of the organ. In this case, the vessels at the base of the respiratory organs are at great risk.
• Apical pulmonary fibrosis is a lesion of the apical segment of the organ. Connective tissue grows at the apex of the organ;
• Interstitial fibrosis is a condition characterized by the growth of scar tissue between the septa of the alveoli, around the pulmonary vessels;
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a pathological condition designated in medical practice like pneumonia. The pathology manifests itself in most cases in male smokers aged 50-60 years. Idiopathic fibrosis of the soft tissues of an organ can take several years to develop. The root causes of the pathology are not fully understood. The most likely factors provoking the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are genetic and environmental factors.

Diagnostic measures

Diagnostics combines:

• One of the most important diagnostic methods is radiographic examination. The study allows you to determine changes own fabric lung and its replacement with fibrous. The images accurately determine the area and extent of the lesion;
• Computed tomography and MRI;
• Angiopulmonography. The study allows you to evaluate blood flow in the pulmonary vessels, changes in the vascular system of the organ;
• Spirography. The study reveals a decrease in the mechanical abilities of the respiratory organs, assesses the degree of decrease in inspiratory volume, determines the increase in respiratory rate;
• Lung biopsy is the most informative method. For the study, several samples of biomaterial are taken.

Treatment of pulmonary fibrosis

When pathology is detected, patients are prescribed complex therapy, aimed at reducing the proliferation of fibrous tissue. Applicable drug treatment pulmonary fibrosis with rehabilitation procedures. Surgical intervention is prescribed when other methods are ineffective, in particularly severe cases of pathology.

Medication direction

The main goal of medication is to relieve symptoms and alleviate the patient’s condition. The following drugs are prescribed:

• Cytostatics are drugs whose action is aimed at blocking the proliferation of fibrous tissue (Cyclophosphamide, Azathioprine). The course of treatment is about 6 months;
• Steroid hormones (glucocorticosteroids) - Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone are prescribed. Drugs relieve inflammation;
• Antifibrotic agents: Colchicine, Veroshpiron;
• Antibiotics
• Expectorant and antitussive drugs that reduce symptoms: Ambroxol, Eufillin, Salbutamol;
• Vaccination carried out to prevent a decrease in the body's immune forces. It is recommended to get the pneumococcal vaccine every 5 years;
• Cardiac glycosides (Methotrexate, Stofantin), prescribed to prevent heart failure and support heart function;
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that reduce chest pain (Diclofenac, Nimesil, Ibuprofen).

Massotherapy

Massage manipulations provide relief general symptoms: reduction in cough intensity, improvement in respiratory function. After the procedures, blood flow improves and muscles become stronger. Manipulations are carried out by a specialist using manual pressure on the back. In some cases, massage procedures are carried out using special equipment.

For greater effectiveness, before performing massage manipulations, the patient is recommended to take expectorant and cough medications. To the main types massage treatments relate:

• Vibration, drainage – manipulations are aimed at normalizing gas exchange;
• Vacuum massage, which consists of using vacuum cans, after which blood flow normalizes and increases;
• Massage using honey, which activates blood circulation and has a warming effect.

Oxygen therapy

The essence of oxygen therapy is to saturate the body with oxygen. The patient receives the necessary dose of gas for the normal functioning of the patient’s organs and systems.

The procedure is carried out inhalation method when oxygen enters and saturates organs and tissues through the respiratory tract. For inhalation, both oxygen itself and mixed compositions are used. The procedure is carried out through nasal catheters, special tubes, and masks for the mouth and nose.

The main advantages of oxygen therapy are:

• Saturation of tissues with oxygen, normalization of gas exchange in the lungs;
• Improving metabolic processes in the respiratory organs;
• Reduced symptoms of fibrotic changes;
• Normalization of blood circulation;
• General improvement in the patient's condition.

Breathing exercises

An additional method of treatment is breathing exercises. Along with breathing exercises, patients with fibrosis are recommended to ride a bicycle and walk quickly.

Task breathing exercises for fibrotic changes in the respiratory organs – reduce the patient’s fatigue, weakness and tension. Gymnastics helps remove mucus and prevents the development of stagnation. The effectiveness of breathing exercises is manifested regardless of the location of the pathology - fibrosis of the left lung, damage to the right respiratory organ, diseases of both lungs.

The essence of gymnastics is to consistently perform inhalations and exhalations with the stomach, lungs, combined with full breathing:

• Abdominal breathing is performed exclusively with the stomach. In this case, the diaphragm remains motionless. This is controlled by hand. As you inhale, your stomach protrudes as much as possible. As you exhale, you need to try to draw it in as much as possible;
• Breathing through the chest. The inhalation and exhalation processes are carried out by the diaphragm, the stomach remains motionless. Breathing should be smooth and as deep as possible;
• Completes the complex full breath, which combines inhalation and exhalation with the stomach and lungs. Inhale while inflating the abdomen, then, with maximum protrusion, take several breaths to the limit of possibilities. Then slowly exhale through the chest.

Diet therapy

An auxiliary treatment method that enhances the effectiveness of medication and the effectiveness of other therapeutic methods is diet therapy. A special diet is provided for patients with fibrosis:

• Recommended complete failure from alcoholic drinks, flour, oils plant origin, preservatives, semi-finished products;
• The amount of salt consumed must be reduced to a minimum or abandoned altogether;
• You need to include grains, vegetables (peppers, spinach, cabbage, tomatoes), fruits and high content vitamin C. You need to consume meat, fish, seafood, milk and dairy products every day.

Surgical intervention

Surgery is the only sure way to alleviate the patient’s condition when conservative treatment is ineffective and in especially severe cases. Indications for the operation are:

• Marked decrease in vital lung volume;
• Lack of oxygen that occurs during physical activity;
• Severe respiratory failure;
• Decreased mechanical capacity of the respiratory system.

The essence surgical method in case of fibrosis of the right lung or left respiratory organ, it consists of its replacement (transplant). The procedure lasts several hours; during the preoperative period, the patient is prescribed special therapy. The postoperative stage makes it mandatory to take medications to prevent rejection of the replaced organs.

If the fibrotic changes are not extensive, a lobectomy is possible - a procedure during which the affected area of ​​the organ is removed; no transplant is required.

The operation is contraindicated in the presence of HIV, hepatitis, renal failure, pathology of cardio-vascular system, liver diseases.

Surgical intervention can increase the patient's life expectancy and improve its quality. Timely surgery can increase life expectancy by an average of 5 years.

Treatment of pulmonary fibrosis with folk remedies

Traditional medicine is additional method treatment. Therapy is particularly effective for initial stages diseases.

To the most effective folk methods relate:

• Flax seed infusion, which relieves cough and reduces shortness of breath. It is necessary to pour 1 tablespoon of seeds with a glass of boiling water. The liquid is infused for about 20 minutes, taken 3 times a day;
• Anise infusion. The plant helps restore lung tissue and alleviates the general condition of the patient. 1 tbsp. seeds are poured with water, brought to a boil and immediately removed from the stove. The decoction is taken morning and evening;
• Rosehip and elecampane. A decoction with plants promotes the removal of sputum, restores lung tissue, and prevents inflammatory processes. You need to take 1 tbsp. crushed rose hips and elecampane roots. Each mixture is boiled in a separate container, boiled for about 15 minutes, then infused for 3 hours. The decoction is taken before meals every day.

Life expectancy with pulmonary fibrosis

Fibrous changes can occur in 2 forms: acute and chronic. Acute course The disease occurs infrequently, progresses rapidly and ends fatal within 2 months.

The chronic nature of the disease is divided into types: rapid, persistent, slowly developing:

• Rapid, aggressive development shortens the patient's life to 1 year. Shortness of breath progresses a sharp decline weight, severe respiratory failure;
• The second type of chronic fibrosis is less pronounced. Life expectancy is about 5 years;
• A slowly progressive pathology in which changes and respiratory failure develop over a long period of time. Average duration life is about 10 years.

The main complications of the disease include hypoxemic coma, respiratory failure, in severe form, pleurisy, thromboembolism, chronic cor pulmonale.

The causes of death may be: cardiac, respiratory failure, lung cancer, thromboembolism. According to research by scientists, patients with pulmonary fibrosis develop cancer several times more often than healthy people.

Preventive measures against pulmonary fibrosis

Preventive measures include:

• Complete refusal bad habits– smoking, alcohol;
• It is necessary to strengthen the immune system. The patient should get plenty of rest and avoid strenuous physical activity. We need feasible physical activity, including long walks, cycling, and daily breathing exercises. Normalization of the psycho-emotional background is required: prevention depressive states, stressful situations, nervous breakdowns;
• Special nutrition for pulmonary fibrosis. Exclude: fatty, excessively salty, spicy foods. The basis of the diet should be: cereal crops, fruits containing vitamin C (citrus fruits), vegetables (spinach, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage). Include in the diet: fish, meat, milk and fermented milk products;

Scheduled visits to a therapist to prevent various pulmonary pathologies. Progressive fibrosis requires regular observation and monitoring by a pulmonologist, and compliance with mandatory medical recommendations.

The respiratory function plays an extremely important role in maintaining the vital functions of the body. After all, it is with air that our body receives oxygen, without which not a single cell can exist. Therefore, disturbances in the activity of the respiratory system can negatively affect the functioning of all corners of the body, causing the most different symptoms and requiring full treatment under the supervision of a doctor. One of the diseases of the respiratory system is pulmonary fibrosis, what is it, ask? Let's talk on this page "Popular about health" about this and how to treat this disease.

What is pulmonary fibrosis?

With this pathology, fibrous (in other words, scar) tissues form in the human lungs. This leads to a gradual impairment of respiratory function. Pathological changes significantly reduce the natural elasticity and extensibility of the lung tissue, due to which the wall of the alveoli loses its permeability. For this reason, the body begins to be less well supplied with oxygen, and less free from metabolic products -.

In most cases, pulmonary fibrosis is chronic. Most often it is provoked infectious processes, which can develop after pneumonia (pneumonia). Also, pulmonary fibrosis can occur due to connective tissue pathologies (which are autoimmune in nature), due to the aggressive influence of certain medications. Quite often, pathological processes in the lungs are explained by occupational diseases and smoking.

With this pathology, the patient is bothered by shortness of breath, which gradually becomes more and more pronounced. The disease also causes coughing, paleness and cyanosis of the skin. Pathological processes cause severe weakness, lead to increased fatigue and make the patient unable to perform heavy physical activity.

Lung disease: how to treat pulmonary fibrosis?

To date, there are no uniform methods of treating pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, doctors select a correction program on an individual basis, focusing on the factors that caused the disease and the characteristics of each individual patient. In general, treatment can be conservative or surgical.

Therapeutic measures for pulmonary fibrosis are aimed at stopping pathological processes, compensating for disturbances in the functioning of the respiratory system and optimizing the quality of life.

Non-drug treatment involves the use of an oxygen mask. Oxygen therapy can reduce the severity of shortness of breath and develop the ability to perform certain physical activities. If the course of the disease is favorable, such treatment gives a sufficient effect. But in addition, patients need to give up bad habits, engage in physical activity and perform breathing exercises. If the development of fibrosis is associated with the negative influence of occupational factors, patients must definitely change jobs. In addition, planned prevention also plays an important role. respiratory diseases, including vaccination.

TO drug treatment resorted to if fibrosis interferes with the patient’s performance and general condition. In this case, doctors can prescribe the patient the use of glucocorticoids (prednisolone, methylprednisolone) and immunosuppressants (azathioprine, cyclophosphamide). It is believed that such drugs can suppress the abnormal formation of scar tissue and stop the progression of the disease. Therapy usually begins with the use of Prednisolone, and if the drug does not have a positive effect, then in this case it is supplemented with a cytostatic (immunosuppressant). These drugs often cause side effects, especially with prolonged use. Thus, their use can lead to the development of osteoporosis, impaired glucose tolerance, the occurrence of ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract, etc. Therefore, patients should be under constant medical supervision. And to prevent disturbances in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, they need to adhere to dietary nutrition according to . To prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis, they are prescribed calcium-containing medications.

Doctors may also use antifibrotic medications, such as colchicine or pirfenidone (Esbriet). There is also information about the effectiveness of veroshpiron, which can inhibit the formation of connective tissue.

To reduce the severity of shortness of breath, bronchodilator medications (Albuterol, etc.) are used. In addition, if the disease is severe, patients are advised to undergo hemosorption and plasmapheresis.

If the disease worsens, then cardiac glycosides are used to improve the patient’s condition and oxygen inhalations. In some cases it may be necessary to carry out antibacterial therapy.

Sometimes doctors may decide to excise pathologically altered areas of the lungs. At the same time, doctors try to preserve the maximum possible amount of lung tissue. But if the process of fibrosis has gone too far, patients are indicated for a lung transplant. According to statistics, transplantation has a 60% survival rate over five years.

Unfortunately, pulmonary fibrosis has a rather favorable prognosis. It continues to progress steadily and over time contributes to the death of the patient.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a disorder of the respiratory process that is caused by thickening of the tissue walls separating the alveoli. As a result, the elasticity of the organ tissue is lost, and the process of movement of air bubbles is disrupted. The result is a lack of oxygen saturation in the blood and associated consequences. The lungs increase in volume due to excessive growth of connective tissue.

Types of pulmonary fibrosis

Based on the location of the source of the disease and the degree of development, the disease is divided into types:

• Interstitial occurs when exposed to negative external factors
• Alveolar thickening of the alveolar membrane
• Perivascular is localized around inflamed vessels
• Peribronchial occurs in tissues near the bronchi
• The perilobular is located opposite the lobar bars.

Causes of pulmonary fibrosis

The most common causes of pulmonary fibrosis are complications after colds or infectious diseases. In some cases, external factors are responsible for the development of the disease.

• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis
• Complications after influenza and ARVI
• Environmental pollution (presence in the atmosphere heavy metals, crumbs of zinc and lead, asbestos dust and harmful chemical emissions from heating plastic)
• Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleral atrophy
• Infectious liver diseases such as cirrhosis or hepatitis
• Enhanced antibiotic therapy and chemical training for cancer. As a result of radiation therapy, post-radiation pulmonary fibrosis may occur
• Smoking, alcohol and drug abuse
• Genetic predisposition to cancer
• IN in rare cases Pulmonary fibrosis occurs for no specific reason. This form of the disease is called idiopathic.

Fibrosis can be unilateral, affecting one lung, or bilateral, affecting both organs. Focal development of the disease affects part of the organ, and diffuse spreads completely to the entire lung or both.

Symptoms of the disease

The initial stage of development of pulmonary fibrosis can be practically asymptomatic. This complicates early diagnosis and timely treatment.

The first sign of the disease can be considered shortness of breath that appears during physical activity. But this symptom is too common among other diseases not related to the lungs. Therefore, those suffering from the early stage of pulmonary fibrosis do not immediately consult a doctor.

An annual FLG study will help detect signs of the disease and begin treatment on time.

• Dry cough accompanies frequent colds and appears without concomitant diseases
• Cyanosis of the skin first appears on the hands and mucous membranes and spreads throughout the entire skin of the body.
• Frequent colds (bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema)
• Appearance purulent discharge in sputum when coughing
• Chest pain
• Wheezing and difficulty breathing
• Lack of respiratory activity and lack of oxygen in the blood can cause dizziness, headaches, and weakness
• Heavy sweating.

Later stages of pulmonary fibrosis (bilateral and diffuse form) increase symptoms and affect the roots of the organ, causing thickening of the connective tissue. This disease is called hilar fibrosis. The defining symptoms of a developed form of fibrosis can be:

• Deformation of the nail plates and thickening of the fangs of the fingers and toes
• Insufficiency of the respiratory process stage 3-4, manifested by shortness of breath and difficulty breathing even at rest
• The bluish-ash color of the mucous membranes and skin is caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood
• arise accompanying illnesses in the form of exudative pleurisy, thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery and others
• The most dangerous may be the occurrence of cancer against the background of fibrosis.

Diagnostic methods

Doctors suspect pulmonary fibrosis as a result of a fluorogram. At the slightest deviation in the structure of the organ, it is prescribed radiographic examination in different planes. Put accurate diagnosis on early stages The development of fibrosis is helped by research:

• Angiopulmonography, which is a synthesis computed tomography and radiographic methods. It is an alternative to radionuclide scanning. According to statistics, such an examination can identify abnormalities in the functioning of organs in the early stages and create a holistic picture of the disease. Not allowed when examining pregnant and lactating women and children.
• Computed tomography has become a popular and least safe form of examining organs and identifying pathologies.
• Biopsy – surgery to remove research material from the organ. Allows you to most qualitatively determine the degree of change in tissues. Used in difficult cases and when other research methods are inadmissible due to contraindications.

Treatment with medications

Despite the development modern methods available in medicine, achieve complete cure pulmonary fibrosis is impossible. Thickening of tissues and lung roots does not decrease. Treatment methods involve relieving symptoms and stopping the progression of the disease.

Based on studies of the condition of the diseased organ, doctors recommend drug treatment, folk remedies using herbs and breathing exercises.

Among the medications used to stop the development of the process and improve general condition human are used:

• Cytostatics are used to prevent cancer and kill cells malignant tumor in the lungs.
• Glucosteroids are synthetic or natural substances similar to hormones produced by the adrenal glands. They normalize metabolism and act as anti-inflammatory and antidepressant agents. Help eliminate toxins and stabilize protein synthesis.
• Antifibrotic agents reduce the proliferation of lung tissue and prevent the main indicator of the development of the disease.
• Hemosorption - purification of blood from toxins using sorbents, used in complex cases of pulmonary fibrosis.
• Plasmapheresis is used in Lately how to purify blood using special devices and blood purification systems on cellular level. This effective method complementary therapy. Contraindications may include intolerance to the drugs used and cancer of any organ or system. The procedure is limited for patients with diseases related to heart rhythms, liver disease and diseases of the veins and blood vessels. Temporary restrictions may apply to infectious diseases.
• Vasodilators are prescribed to improve breathing and stabilize blood circulation
• If there is the greatest danger to a person's life, organ transplantation is possible.

Treatment with folk remedies

Traditional medicine is rich in a variety of preparations medicinal plants for the treatment of many lung diseases. It is successfully recommended by doctors as an additional remedy to improve lung function and relieve symptoms of the disease in the early stages of development.

• Rosemary. Chop the branches of the plant and fill with water equal in volume. Heat to a boil and leave for half an hour. Drink with honey. Used for better removal of sputum when coughing.
• Oats. Pour boiling water over a spoonful of oat grains and leave for about 20 minutes. Drink a glass of infusion before bed. Relieves coughing attacks, helps cleanse the bronchi and lungs of phlegm.
• Vitamin compositions from rose hips and hawthorn, birch leaves and chamomile flowers help improve immunity. This protects against colds and protects against inflammatory processes.
• Compresses made from burdock leaves and white cabbage relieve the condition by acting as a resorbent. Pour boiling water over the leaf and brush with honey. Apply to the chest area from the front and back. Cover with film and a warm cloth. Keep it overnight.

Breathing exercises

Carrying out breathing exercises helps relieve tension from the lungs and bronchi, which alleviates the patient’s condition.

• Exhale with resistance. Improves lung mechanics and helps normalize gas exchange. Pour water into a container and prepare a straw for a cocktail. Do deep breath and exhale through the straw. Repeat several times. Track. To avoid dizziness.
• Breathing is diaphragmatic. Do a count of three deep exhale with the involvement of the abdominal muscles. At four, inhale using the diaphragm. The exercise can be done either lying down or in motion.
• Lying on your back, bend your knees sharply, while inhaling through your diaphragm. The final step is to make a forced cough to contract the muscles.

Pulmonary fibrosis in children

The disease is rare in children under 3 years of age. Signs of incipient pulmonary fibrosis may include: constant fatigue child, sudden weight loss and frequent colds, marked by shallow breathing.

Childhood fibrosis is easier to prevent than to treat long-term treatment with unpredictable results.

• Do not trigger inflammatory processes in the body
• Respond in a timely manner to ARVI, influenza and other colds
• Maintain timely routine vaccinations and flu shots
• Monitor the vitamin and protein composition of food
• Spend more time outdoors (walks in nature are advisable)
• Don't neglect sports.

Life expectancy forecasts

The diagnosis of “pulmonary fibrosis” determines the patient’s future life as a struggle with complex disease. How successful the result will be depends on the form and degree of organ damage.

Acute fibrosis, which has entered the stage of hypoxemic coma, complicated by respiratory failure, most often leads to death.

The chronic form of the disease leads to a gradual increase in fibrotic processes. The patient’s life span depends on the correct treatment and compliance with the rules of life prescribed by doctors.

Mild form of fibrosis with early diagnosis and continuous maintenance therapy does not cause concern. But the patient must independently change his lifestyle and eliminate circumstances leading to a worsening of the condition.

• Normalization of the “work-rest” mode
• Walking in the fresh air away from negative influence polluted atmosphere
• Elimination of chemical factors affecting health
• Quitting smoking and alcohol
• Maintaining a diet with big amount vitamins
• Compliance with the treatment regimen.

The earlier you contact specialists, the more likely a positive outcome in the fight against the disease will be.

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Lung tissue is elastic - this is necessary for complete gas exchange. The alveoli must be freely filled with a volume of air that provides the body with a sufficient amount of oxygen.

If for one reason or another the lung tissue becomes denser, pulmonary fibrosis develops. What is it and how to treat this disease?

Pulmonary fibrosis - what is it?

Pulmonary fibrosis is the compaction of lung tissue in the process of replacing it with connective tissue, the formation of scars. Due to decreased elasticity of the alveoli respiratory function is violated. Oxygen and carbon dioxide have difficulty passing through the alveolar walls.

Oxygen starvation develops due to the fact that the alveoli cannot contract during exhalation and expand during inhalation, as before. As a result, little oxygen enters the body, and the exhaust air is not completely removed.

Causes of pulmonary fibrosis:

• polluted atmosphere, inhalation of dust, shavings, silicates, mold and other harmful substances;
• allergy to medications or radiation therapy tumors;
• smoking;
• internal pathologies affecting connective tissues (rheumatism, scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus, arthritis);
• infections and inflammatory diseases(tuberculosis, vasculitis, pneumonia and others);
• diabetes;
• if the cause cannot be determined, they speak of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Factors that provoke pulmonary fibrosis in children are similar to those in adults. However, this disease is extremely rarely diagnosed before the age of three.

Parents should know that the impetus for the development of fibrosis in childhood can be passive smoking, as well as pneumonia or other respiratory diseases.

Pathology has different severity, depending on this, the following are distinguished stages of pulmonary fibrosis:

1. Pneumofibrosis - connective tissue alternates with healthy lung areas.
2. Cirrhosis - most of the alveolar tissue is replaced, the bronchi are deformed.
3. Sclerosis - the tissue is completely replaced, the lung becomes very dense.

Symptoms and types of pulmonary fibrosis

Based on distribution in tissues, the disease is divided into two types:

• Focal pulmonary fibrosis, in which a certain small area organ. Its symptoms may take several months or years to appear. This type often occurs with sarcoidosis.
• Diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, or total - the pathological process affects all tissues evenly, this type is more dangerous. Signs develop quickly and the prognosis is poor.

The pathology can also be unilateral (fibrosis of the right or left lung) or bilateral. The latter type affects both lungs but may be confused with diffuse unilateral disease. For example, when total fibrosis of the left lung spreads to the roots of the lungs, which are located on both sides.

The disease can develop for a long time without showing itself in any way. Severe symptoms in the early stages occur in a small proportion of patients. With pulmonary fibrosis, the symptoms are:

• severe shortness of breath;
• slight increase in temperature;
• persistent cough - dry or a small amount sputum depending on the underlying cause of fibrosis;
• cyanosis (blueness) of the hands and oral mucosa;
• breathing gets confused, becomes shallow and frequent;
• swelling;
• general weakness;
• frequent heartbeat.

Not all of these signs necessarily appear at the same time. At first, only shortness of breath and coughing may be present, and the person does not pay attention to this. Other symptoms develop as the disease progresses.

For apical pulmonary fibrosis, which affects the upper part of the lungs, and in the later stages of fibrosis, manifestations can be as follows:

• severe shortness of breath;
• rapid heartbeat;
• pain behind the sternum;
• severe swelling of the legs;
• thickening of fingers and nails;
• lethargy, low tone of muscles and the body as a whole;
• enlargement of the neck veins.

If you pay attention to the symptoms, immediately undergo examination and begin treatment, you can avoid dangerous irreversible changes in the lungs.

How to treat pulmonary fibrosis - drugs and methods

Since pathology is often a complication of other diseases, for effective treatment pulmonary fibrosis, it is first of all important to identify and eliminate the main pathological cause.

Fibrous tissue change is an irreversible process. That's why specific treatment Pulmonary fibrosis does not exist. The approach must be individual, comprehensive and aimed at stopping the proliferation of connective tissue and preventing the development of a secondary infection.

Methods in the treatment of fibrosis are as follows:

1. Drug treatment depending on the underlying cause and taking hormonal drugs.
2. Breathing exercises, easy running, walking.
3. Oxygen inhalations.
4. healthy eating, correct mode work and rest, lack of high physical activity.
5. Surgical intervention is used for total fibrosis late stage and consists of a lung transplant.

To treat pulmonary fibrosis, the doctor may prescribe the following medications:

• cytostatics (Cyclophosphamide);
• glucocorticoids (Prednisolone 0.5-1 g per day with a further gradual reduction in dosage);
• immunosuppressants (Azathioprine 20-50 mg 3 times a day);
• antibiotics in the presence of an infectious-inflammatory process;
• bronchodilators for severe cough;
• cardiac glycosides in the development of heart failure;
• vitamins, restoratives.

An example of breathing exercises:

1. Take air into your lungs and hold for 5-15 seconds.

2. At the same time, squeeze your lips tightly, but do not puff out your cheeks.

3. Forcefully release some air from your lungs.

4. Slowly exhale the remaining air.

Perform this exercise 3-4 times a day, and for prevention 1-2 times.

If the fibrotic process cannot be stopped, then an operation to transplant a lung or remove its affected areas is indicated.

Forecast

With pulmonary fibrosis, life expectancy depends on the type of disease, its stage and when treatment is started.
Common complications of the disease:

• pulmonary heart;
• development of secondary infection;
• chronic respiratory failure.

The diffuse form most often ends in death. Focal pulmonary fibrosis has a relatively favorable prognosis, if there are no dangerous consequences. How long do people live with this disease?

With chronic, slowly developing fibrosis without treatment, life expectancy is no more than 3-5 years. Transplantation of the lung or its tissues, timely adequate treatment extends this period to 8-10 years or more.