Pulmonary Fibrosis
Dr. Stuart M. Garay is a pulmonologist who diagnoses and treats patients at NYU Langone Pulmonary & Critical Care Associates in New York, NY. Dr. Garay earned his medical degree from Harvard University in 1974. He went on to complete a residency in medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in 1977, followed by a fellowship... more
Pulmonary fibrosis is a group of serious lung diseases that affect the respiratory system. The condition scars and thickens lung tissue. It impacts the connecting tissue in the lung and the alveoli (air sacs inside the lungs). The lung damage gradually gets worse over time, stiff lung tissues don’t expand as well as they should, making it harder to breathe. Pulmonary fibrosis may cause shortness of breath when you do routine tasks that never seemed tiring before.
The causes of pulmonary fibrosis:
- Older age
- Being a biological male
- Smoking
- Working around dust or fumes
- Other medical conditions
Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive disease and there is currently no cure. Many things factor into how long and well people can live with this condition. The disease may get worse quickly (over months) or very slowly (over years). Newer medications may help slow the disease progression. Research continues to focus on improving therapies.
The lung damage from pulmonary fibrosis is permanent. Getting diagnosed and starting treatment as early as possible may help your lungs work better and for longer.
