Asbestosis is a professional disease that is one of the most common types of lung fibrosis. What are his symptoms? How is this ailment? Answers you will find in this article.
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Asbestosis is a widespread type of fibrosis of the tissue of the lungs caused by inhalation of asbestos dust.
Asbestos consists of fibrous mineral silicates of various chemical composition. Finding into the airways, asbestos fibers will settle deep in the lungs, causing fibrosis. Inhalation of asbestos dust can cause a thickening of the pleura - a two-layer shell covering the lungs.
In people working with asbestos, an increased risk of the development of lung disease. This, although to a lesser extent, applies to workers that demolish buildings where there is insulation containing asbestos. The more the person contacts asbestos fibers, the higher the risk of asbestosis.
Asbestos affects not only persons directly in contact with it. Asbestosis can be sick, electricians working next to those who deal with insulating materials on shipbuilding plants, as well as workers' wives who erase workwear husbands. The overall impact is possible when working with asbestos, materials sprayed on steel beams in many large buildings to warn their deflection in case of fire. Separate cases of the disease were registered among those living next to the Asbestos Plant in London, as well as near asbestos mines in South Africa.
Asbestos first became widely used in the 40s of the present century. Starting from 1975. It began to replace fiberglass or slag cotton. Asbestos causes mainly fibrosis (asbestosis) of the lung, cancer of the respiratory tract, pleura and sometimes peritoneum.
Patients complain of shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, anorexia, weakness, increased fatigue. The disease is usually slow: the first symptoms of it appear no earlier than 3-5 years after the start of work in the conditions of the effects of asbestos dust. With a physical examination, signs of diffuse pneumosclerosis with emphysemic lungs are detected.
In the study of sputum, asbestos tales or fibers often detect, but they themselves are only evidence of the inhalation of dust and do not give grounds for the diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis. A serious diagnostic value is the detection of clusters of radially located asbestos Taurus.
On the radiographs of the lungs (mainly in the lower and middirements), gentle diffuse mesh and small cells are determined. The nodules are localized in the lower lungs. Often detect pleural battles.
Asbestosis is often complicated by pneumonia, often leading to the formation of bronchiectasis. In future cases, asbestosis can lead to worldwide failure on the basis of pulmonary heart syndrome. The question of the relationship between asbestosis and tuberculosis of the lungs is not finally resolved. Most researchers believe that asbestos dust contributes to the activation of the tuberculosis process.
Specific treatment does not exist. Only supporting treatment is carried out by the same principle as with diffuse interstitial fibrosis of any other etiology. Basically, the newly diagnosed disease may be due to the effects of asbestos several years before its manifestation and, despite the fact that the patient no longer works in this industry.
Since current security measures are at least, at least, theoretically, should not advise the workers to terminate. In contrast, since smoking during asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer, the patient is extremely important to get rid of this destructive habit.
