“The word “pulmonary” means lung and the word “fibrosis” means scar tissue— similar to scars that form on the skin from an old injury or surgery. Pulmonary fibrosis is a process that causes lung scarring, in which fibrotic tissue blocks the movement of oxygen from inside the tiny air sacs in the lungs into the bloodstream.

Pulmonary fibrosis isn’t just one disease. It is a family of more than 200 different lung diseases that all look very much alike. The PF family of lung diseases is part of an even larger group of diseases called interstitial lung diseases (also known as ILD), which includes all of the diseases that have inflammation and/or lung scarring. When the cause of PF is unknown, it’s called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). IPF is the most common type of pulmonary fibrosis.”

Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation | Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation)