Final answer:
Pulmonary fibrosis leads to reduced gas exchange due to decreased lung compliance and stiffer lung tissues, causing air trapping and V/Q mismatch which affects the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patients with pulmonary fibrosis suffer from reduced gas exchange due to decreased lung compliance and increased lung resistance. In pulmonary fibrosis, the lung tissue becomes stiff and fibrotic, which makes the lungs less elastic and more difficult to expand during inhalation. This decrease in compliance means that the lungs cannot fully deflate during exhalation, trapping air and reducing the lung's capacity for fresh air. Furthermore, the stiffer lungs and airway collapse lead to V/Q mismatch, where ventilation (air flow) and perfusion (blood flow) are not properly balanced, hampering the efficient exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air in the alveoli and the blood in the surrounding capillaries.
Another aspect to consider is the forced vital capacity (FVC) which is significantly lower in patients with restrictive lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis. This reduced FVC indicates that patients are unable to exhale the full amount of air in the lungs, thus affecting the exchange of gases. Overall, the anatomical and physiological changes associated with fibrosis result in difficulty breathing and inadequate gas exchange.