Problem
Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition of decreased diffusion due to an increase in the thickness across the alveolar-capillary (a-c) membrane. Although oxygen is normally perfusion-limited in its gas exchange across the a-c membrane, in conditions causing decreased diffusion such as pulmonary fibrosis with the increase in thickness across the a-c membrane, it may become diffusion-limited during periods of decreased transit time such as exercise with the increase in cardiac output.
How could this condition affect gas exchange and oxygenation? How can this be overcome?