Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

pulmonary fibrosis
Scarring throughout the
lungs that can be caused by many conditions, such as
sarcoidosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, asbesto-
sis, and certain medications. Pulmonary fibrosis can
also occur without an identifiable cause, in which
case it is referred to as idiopathic pulmonary fibro-
sis. Symptoms include shortness of breath, cough-
ing, and diminished exercise tolerance. Treatment
involves use of corticosteroids (such as prednisone)
and/or other medications that suppress the body’s
immune system. The goal of treatment is to decrease
lung inflammation and subsequent scarring.
Responses to treatment vary. Toxicity and side effects
of treatment can be serious. Therefore, patients with
pulmonary fibrosis are generally cared for by lung
specialists.
pulmonary function test
A test that is designed
to measure how well the lungs are working.
Abbreviated PFT. PFTs gauge how the lungs are
expanding and contracting (when a person inhales
and exhales) and measure the efficiency of the
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the
blood and the air within the lungs.
pulmonary hypertension
See 
hypertension,
pulmonary.
pulmonary insufficiency
A condition in which
the valve between the right ventricle of the heart and
the pulmonary artery is incompetent in its perform-
ance, allowing blood to slosh back from the pul-
monary artery into the right ventricle.
pulmonary stenosis
A condition in which the
pulmonary valve is too tight, so that the flow of
blood from the right ventricle of the heart into the
pulmonary artery is impeded. This means that the
right ventricle must pump harder than normal to
overcome the obstruction. Treatment is necessary if
the pressure in the right ventricle is higher than
normal. Treatment involves eliminating the obstruc-
tion by a procedure called balloon valvuloplasty or
by surgery.