Interstitial lung disease Resources

This article provides an overview of a collection of diseases collectively known as interstitial lung disease (ILD). The terminology and names have changed over time with an expanding, complex classification. This article discusses some of the more commonly recognised classes of ILD. These conditions are increasingly recognised but provide diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. General practice nurses (GPNs) are ideally placed for early symptom recognition and onward referral to secondary care specialist service for multidisciplinary team discussion, diagnosis and management.

Welcome to GPN’s learning zone. By reading the article in each issue, you can learn all about the key principles of subjects that are vital to your role as a general practice nurse. Once you have read the article, visit the Learning Zone to evaluate your knowledge on this topic by answering the 10 questions in the e-learning unit; all answers can be found in the article. If you answer the questions correctly, you can download your certificate which can be used in your continuing professional development (CPD) portfolio as evidence of your continued learning and contribute to your revalidation portfolio.

Interstitial lung disease is the collective name given to over 200 different types of parenchymal lung disorders (Demedts et al, 2001). They are different from the more common respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma in that they affect the alveoli, small airways, interstitium and surrounding capillary circulation. Interstitial lung disease causes scarring, which makes it difficult for oxygen to diffuse into the circulating blood, resulting in breathlessness.