Educational Videos
Watch this informative video series to learn about pulmonary fibrosis including what it is, how it affects the lungs, how it is monitored – and ways to help take charge of the disease after diagnosis.
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[Living with ILD]
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What is pulmonary fibrosis?
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[Developed in partnership with Canadian nurses, respiratory therapists and the CPFF. Visit cpff.ca more info.]
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To put it simply, pulmonary means lung and fibrosis means scarring.
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So, pulmonary fibrosis is scarring of the lungs.
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But what exactly does that mean?
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Let’s start by looking at what the lungs do.
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When you breathe in, the lungs help move oxygen from the air
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into the blood stream so it can reach all parts of the body.
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This is important because the body needs oxygen to function properly.
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Looking closer, you’ll see that the lungs are made up of airways and soft tissue.
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This tissue is called the interstitium.
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At the end of each airway there are millions of small structures called alveoli
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that sit within the lung tissue.
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They work like tiny balloons that can fill with air.
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Lung tissue expands easily, allowing us to breathe.
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With each breath in, the lungs expand, and oxygen enters the airways, filling the alveoli.
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Blood moves into the lungs to collect the oxygen from the alveoli…
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… then the blood carries the oxygen and other nutrients throughout the body.
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Think of the blood flow like a train and the oxygen and other nutrients…
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… like passengers.
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Blood travels from the heart through the blood vessel “tracks” to…
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… the lungs where it picks up the oxygen that is waiting at the alveoli “stations”.
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Then, the blood carrying the oxygen returns…
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… to the heart so that it can be pumped throughout the body.
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What is interstitial lung disease?
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Also known as ILD, interstitial lung disease is an umbrella term for a group of
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different conditions that damage parts of lung tissue…
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… specifically the lung interstitium.
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There are many specific diseases that fall within the ILD umbrella.
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Regardless of the disease, damage to the lung interstitium
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is often in the form of inflammation or fibrosis.
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Remember, pulmonary means lung and fibrosis means scarring.
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So when lung damage in ILD is due to scarring, it is called pulmonary fibrosis.
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As you probably know, scarring happens naturally when the body heals a wound.
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If you cut your finger slicing a tomato, your body will react by
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replacing the damaged tissue, leaving a scar.
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This is similar to what is happening to healthy lung tissue in ILD, it is being
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replaced by scar tissue.
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Unlike other scars, lung scarring makes it harder for lungs to do their job.
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And just like how a scar on your hand never goes away…
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… pulmonary fibrosis is permanent.
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How does pulmonary fibrosis affect lung function?
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When the lungs become scarred and inflamed, they get stiffer and smaller,
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which in turn, increases shortness of breath.
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It also blocks some oxygen from moving from the lungs into the bloodstream…
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… leading to low blood oxygen levels.
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This can make it harder to breathe…
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… and lead to coughing…
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… or fatigue.
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In other words, when the blood flow “train” arrives at the lung tissue to pick up the oxygen…
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… some of the alveoli “stations” are blocked by fibrosis,
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preventing some oxygen from boarding…
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… the blood flow “train”.
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With less oxygen entering the blood, there is…
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… less arriving at the heart and…
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… being sent through the rest of the body.
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What happens to the lungs over time with pulmonary fibrosis?
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It doesn’t go away, and it can get worse over time, making it more
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and more difficult to breathe.
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There is no way to predict how quickly it can progress, it is different for everyone.
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If you have been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis…
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… ask your doctor about ways to manage your condition.
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Life still holds so much possibility – and so do you.
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[If you have any questions about pulmonary fibrosis, ask your healthcare team]
[Learn more and find support at www.lifewithpf.ca and www.cpff.ca]
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Empower yourself with knowledge through the resources and support groups found at www.cpff.ca.
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[© 2025 Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. All rights reserved.]
[PC-CA-105022]
What is Pulmonary Fibrosis?
Watch this video to learn about how the lungs work, what pulmonary fibrosis is, and how it affects lung function over time. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, empowering yourself with knowledge can help you navigate the journey and find support.
Thank you to the numerous ILD nurses, allied HCPs and the CPFF for helping us create this educational tool.
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Monitoring progression in pulmonary fibrosis. In the previous video, we covered what happens to the lungs in pulmonary fibrosis using a train analogy to explain that as your lungs become scarred, less oxygen is picked up by your blood, which in turn makes it harder to breathe.
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Now we'll go over how pulmonary fibrosis changes or worsens over time, which is called progression.
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As scarring increases in the lungs, it can cause an increase in symptoms like breathlessness, cough, and fatigue.
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There is no way to predict how quickly pulmonary fibrosis will get worse, it is different for everyone.
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For example, in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis…
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…some people, unfortunately, have rapid and steady disease progression. And for others, there might be periods of stability, marked by severe worsening of symptoms, also known as exacerbations.
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Sometimes people will experience gradual progression that takes years, or they might remain relatively the same over time.
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You can help monitor possible progression by keeping a diary to track your cough, fatigue, shortness of breath and weight.
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And if you notice any changes, tell your healthcare team as soon as possible so they can respond accordingly.
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While it’s impossible to predict how the disease will progress, your healthcare team will perform tests to give you some insight.
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There are three common tests for monitoring progression in pulmonary fibrosis that you may have already done, or your doctor may ask you to do in the future.
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The first one is called a pulmonary function test, also known as a PFT.
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Basically, it’s a breathing test that is done while sitting in a closed, glass box, kind of like a phone booth.
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You will be asked to breathe into a mouthpiece in a few different ways, like breathing normally or breathing out as hard as you can.
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Parts of this test can be difficult, but it helps your healthcare team determine the size of your lungs, known as forced vital capacity; how quickly you can fully exhale in one second, called forced expiratory volume; and how well your lungs transfer oxygen into your body, referred to as diffusion capacity.
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The second test is called the six minute walk test.
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You will be asked to walk as fast as you can for six minutes while your oxygen levels are measured through a clip on your finger, earlobe or forehead.
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This shows how well your lungs transfer oxygen into your bloodstream while you are moving or exercising.
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It also shows how much walking you can handle, in other words, your “functional capacity”.
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Another very useful test is an HRCT of your lungs or a high resolution CAT scan.
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This is similar to an X-ray because it takes pictures of your lung tissue.
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However, the images from an HRCT or CAT scan are much more detailed than a regular X-ray.
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In these images, doctors look for signs of progression like thicker tissue, new or existing areas of scarring, signs of infection, or other problems.
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Your healthcare team may repeat any of these tests over time to compare results and see if pulmonary fibrosis is progressing or staying the same.
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Keeping your doctor informed goes a long way.
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Along with these tests and tracking your symptoms, being open and honest with your healthcare team about how you're feeling will help them understand how your pulmonary fibrosis is progressing so they can ensure you get the care and support you need.
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Living with pulmonary fibrosis isn't always easy, but hope is in your hands. And remember, you’re not in this alone.
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There's a variety of support you can connect with through cpff.ca.
Monitoring Progression in Pulmonary Fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive disease. Watch this video to learn more about how that progression may look, what symptoms to keep track of, and what tests your doctor may suggest to monitor your pulmonary fibrosis.
Thank you to the numerous ILD nurses, allied HCPs and the CPFF for helping us create this educational tool.
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Managing your Pulmonary Fibrosis.
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In the previous video, we explained the different types of progression in pulmonary fibrosis, along with the common tests doctors use to monitor progression.
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Here, we will explore a few tips you can use to take charge of your pulmonary fibrosis after being diagnosed.
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Your healthcare team is here to give you advice and help support you every step of the way.
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This includes your family doctor, respirologist, nurses or respiratory therapists, and in some cases, a rheumatologist or other specialists.
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In addition to offering advice on ways to manage symptoms, they can inform you about your treatment options.
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Seeing your doctor regularly and having an open and honest dialogue will go a long way to helping you manage the progression of disease.
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But there are things you can do on your own, too.
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Here are 5 tips to help you take charge of your daily life with pulmonary fibrosis.
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Adopt mindful eating habits.
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Find ways to stay active.
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Take charge of your well-being.
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Support your mental and emotional health and create a care plan.
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Let's take a closer look at each of these tips.
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Tip 1.
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Adopt mindful eating habits to help fuel your body with the nutrition it needs.
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While there's no ILD specific diet, a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, beans, and fat free or low-fat dairy products will help you have the energy for daily life.
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If you find yourself feeling breathless during meals, eating smaller meals more often might help.
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Consider starting a food diary if you want to see how different foods affect the way you feel throughout the day.
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If you're finding it hard to eat a balanced diet or you are losing weight, ask your healthcare team for suggestions.
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Tip 2.
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Find ways to stay active.
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It's common to have less energy than you did before your diagnosis, so pay attention to what your body is trying to tell you and adapt your activity as needed.
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By modifying your activities and exercises to match your new energy level, you can continue to enjoy them.
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If you need suggestions on how to adjust your exercise routine, a support group can be a great source for advice.
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You may also want to ask your healthcare team if pulmonary rehabilitation is appropriate for you.
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Tip 3.
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Take charge of your well-being.
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You can do this by reducing your exposure to people with flu or other respiratory illnesses, keeping your vaccinations up to date, and setting medication reminders so that you take them on time.
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Ask your healthcare team about managing any other issues you may be experiencing, such as shortness of breath, medication side effects, and cough.
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Tip 4.
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Surround yourself with support for your mental and emotional health.
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Every day is a new day, and some will be better than others.
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Recognizing the signs that you are struggling and knowing where to turn for support can help.
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Start by building your own support team.
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This can include your primary caregiver and others close to you, but consider adding a patient support group to your team as well.
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It can be helpful to hear other people's journeys and share yours too, be it online or in your community.
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Support groups are a great way for both you and your caregiver to connect with others living with pulmonary fibrosis.
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And finally, tip 5.
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Create a care plan so you and your support team know who to call if your symptoms get worse.
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Work with your healthcare team and your caregivers to ensure your plan has the appropriate details, including contact information and symptoms to watch out for.
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If you experience any worsening symptoms, seek medical attention.
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Pulmonary fibrosis may change how you live, but it shouldn't stop you from living life on your terms.
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Keeping these 5 tips in mind, take each day as it comes and keep moving forward with support from your healthcare team, family and friends.
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Life holds so much possibility, and so do you.
Managing Your Health with Pulmonary Fibrosis
If you have been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, watch this video for tips on how to manage your health. Pulmonary fibrosis may change how you live, but it shouldn’t stop you from living life on your terms.
Thank you to the numerous ILD nurses, allied HCPs and the CPFF for helping us create this educational tool.