ASBESTOSIS

WHAT IS ASBESTOS?
• Is a natural mineral product
that s resistant to heat and
corrosion
• Used in past products as
insulation, cement and floor
tiles
• Not used as widely and is
even banned in several
countries due to health
hazards
 WHAT IS ASBESTOS?

While asbestos can be dangerous, it

doesn't present a health risk if left
undisturbed. But if material containing
asbestos is damaged, it can release a fine dust
that contains asbestos fibres.
When the dust is breathed in, the
asbestos fibres enter the lungs and can
gradually damage them over time.
But you would need prolonged exposure
to asbestos fibres, usually over many years,
before you develop asbestosis.
 ASBESTOSIS
DEFINITION

Inhalation of large amount of asbestos fibers or its dust over a long period of
time can produce scarring of lung tissues. Asbestosis is a serious long-term lung
condition caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos. It is an incurable lung
disease that makes breathing progressively more difficult, usually caused by years
of occupational asbestos exposure. In the span of those years, the inhaled asbestos
fibers and dust are trapped in the lung. The lung tries unsuccessfully to remove
the asbestos through the immune system, leading to damage and scar
tissue. Signifies an elevated risk of developing asbestos-related cancer.
 ASBESTOSIS
DEFINITION

No amount of asbestos exposure is safe, but asbestos generally has the

worst effects when a person is exposed to an intense concentration of it, or
they are exposed on a regular basis over a long period of time.
More asbestos accumulates in the body with every exposure, and there is
no known way to reverse the cellular damage it causes.
Complications of asbestosis may include lung cancer, mesothelioma, and
pulmonary heart disease.
 ASBESTOSIS
SYMPTOMS

 Shortness of breath
 Persistent dry cough
 Chest tightness and pain
 Fatigue
 Loss of weight and appetite
 Crackling sound when breathing
 Clubbed fingers and toes
Pulmonary hypertension
 ASBESTOSIS
TREATMENT
With the exception of lung transplantation as a last-resort option, no treatment can reverse the damage
done by the asbestos. All asbestosis treatment options merely address the symptoms of asbestosis to improve the
quality of life. Reduction of asbestos exposure is the best prevention method of asbestosis.

Supplemental oxygen Pulmonary Medications

Supplemental oxygen from a
portable oxygen tank is often
necessary for patients with
reduced lung capacity. The
tank delivers extra oxygen to
the lungs through a plastic
tube with two prongs that fit
into the patient’s nostrils.
rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation
helps patients learn
techniques and make
lifestyle changes to better
cope with chronic breathing
difficulties. A team of
therapists work together to
provide for both physical
and psychological needs.
Medications can thin lung
secretions to make coughing
easier and relieve chest pain.
NOTE: corticosteroids (anti-
inflammatory medications)
and immunosuppressants are
ineffective for treating
asbestosis.
 REFERENCES

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asbestosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354637
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Asbestosis/
https://zidbits.com/2011/06/what-is-asbestos-and-why-was-it-banned/
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asbestosis/learn-about-asbestosis.html
https://www.asbestos.com/asbestos/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestosis