How Does Pulmonary Fibrosis Affect You?
OXYGEN RICH BLOOD
OXYGEN DEPLETED BLOOD
OXYGEN IN
CARBON
DIOXIDE OUT
LUNGS TRANSFER
OXYGEN TO BLOOD
RIGHT
ATRIUM LEFT
ATRIUM
RIGHT
VENTRICLE LEFT
VENTRICLE
BODY
To understand how PF affects the body, you first need to understand
the way lungs contribute to the normal flow of blood and oxygen. The
heart is divided into two sides: the left and the right. Each side has an
atrium (a receiving chamber) and a ventricle (a pumping chamber).
Each side is responsible for pumping blood, but for different reasons.
The left side of the heart pumps blood through arteries to supply oxygen
and vital nutrients to cells and tissues throughout the body. All the cells
and tissues of the body need oxygen to function. Once the oxygen is
delivered, the cells produce carbon dioxide, which enters the bloodstream
through veins and returns back to the right side of the heart where it is
pumped back to the lungs. In the lungs, carbon dioxide is breathed out of
the body and oxygen is breathed in and crosses into the bloodstream to
be pumped by the left side of the heart to the body.
For patients with PF, as the scarring increases and the lung tissue
becomes stiffer, it gets harder for oxygen to move from the lungs into the
bloodstream. Oxygen levels in the blood can become very low. The lack
of oxygen causes stress on the heart and brain. Some patients develop
high blood pressure in the arteries in their lungs (known as pulmonary
hypertension). In some cases, without wearing oxygen, it can become
difficult to deliver the needed amount of oxygen to the other organs
like the heart, brain, and kidneys, which can result in damage to these
organs.
7