What is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Why in News ? The Tabla maestro Jakir Hussein was recently died due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

What is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?

• As per US’ National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH), is a serious chronic lung disease that affects the tissues around the air sacs, or alveoli, in the organ. The condition develops when for unknown reasons the lung tissue gets thick and stiff.
• Over time, these changes can cause the lungs to be permanently scarred, also known as fibrosis, making it progressively difficult for an individual to breathe.
• An individual with a habit of smoking or family history of IPF, is at a higher risk of getting the disease and this risk only increases with age.

Causes of IPF

The scarring of the tissue seems to be the result of a cycle of damage and healing that takes place in the lungs. Once the healing stops, scar tissues are formed. However, the causes for these changes are unknown, according to NIH.

Risk factors for IPF

There are several factors that come into the play when considering the risk an individual is under to get IPF.

• Age: As an individual grows older, they are at a higher risk of developing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Most people are often diagnosed with the disease in their 60s or 70s.
• Lifestyle: Smoking habit is the most common risk among people who might get or have IPF.
• Gender: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is more common in men than women, NIH said.
• Family history and genes: If an individual’s immediate relative, like a parent or a sibling, has IPF, then they are automatically at a higher risk of getting the disease. The genes a person inherits might make it more likely for them to develop IPF, especially if the genes carry mutations.

There are few ways in which a person’s genes might them at risk for IPF, NIH said. Scientists have discovered that mutations in some genes are common people suffering from IPF. And some of these genetics help the body in making surfactant and mucus, important for the healthy functioning of lungs.