PERTH, Australia (PRWEB) December 31, 2020
Yuben Moodley, physician, scientist and professor, is dedicated to providing high-quality patient care, conducting cell and molecular research, and teaching. He is the deputy director of the Institute of Respiratory Health and a physician at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Through his years of experience and devotion to his practice and research, Dr. Moodley is more than familiar with pulmonary fibrosis’s cause and risk factors.
Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic lung condition that is progressive and results in scarring in the lung tissue. This lung disease causes the tissue to surround the air sacs, otherwise known as alveoli, to become scarred. The scarring makes it hard for oxygen to reach the bloodstream.
Pulmonary fibrosis is far from being a single disease as it consists of a greater number of lung diseases that factor in scar tissue in the lungs. Some pulmonary fibrosis instances are due to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, or scleroderma. Other factors like specific viral infections and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can also put people at risk for pulmonary fibrosis. GERD happens when acid in the stomach backs up into the throat. Breathing in small drops of stomach acid could potentially injure the lungs.
Smoking can also cause pulmonary fibrosis. This risk number includes individuals who currently smoke or have quit smoking. Those who live with lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that embrace smoking habits have a higher risk rate overall.
Radiation therapy or exposure to hazardous materials are also risk factors that contribute to pulmonary fibrosis. An individual’s risk elevates after receiving radiation therapy for lung cancer or breast cancer. The more radiation in the chest area, the higher the chance for pulmonary fibrosis. Chemotherapy also raises the risk rate, too, as well as the medications that come with treatment. Occupational exposures to hazardous materials like silica or asbestos, or even inhaling animal or bird excretes, also can spark lung disease.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical report showed that the coronavirus infection is, unfortunately, a potential cause of pulmonary fibrosis.
When a physician cannot identify any direct causes of the disease’s development, the term idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is given as the condition’s label. Pulmonary fibrosis can be diagnosed through blood tests, blood oxygen level tests, lung function tests, a CT scan, and a biopsy.
For more information regarding Yuben Moodley and his career accomplishments, visit his website: http://www.yubenmoodley.com and his recent interview about pulmonary fibrosis: https://pact.lungfoundation.com.au/articles/five-minutes-with-a-pulmonary-fibrosis-researcher-2/.
To reach out and connect with Dr. Moodley, including recent graduates, email him at yuben.moodley@uwa.edu.au.
Contact Information:
Yuben Moodley
yuben.moodley@uwa.edu.au
Institute of Respiratory Health
Perth, Western Australia
http://yubenmoodley.com/