Asbestos:
A mixture of silicate of iron, magnesium, nickel, cadmium, and aluminum. Used for roofing, insulation, and fireproofing.
- Types of asbestos:
- Chrysotile (white asbestos): 90% of world production.
- Crocidolite (blue asbestos): Associated with asbestosis and mesothelioma.
- Amosite (brown asbestos)
- Exposure to asbestos: Shipyards, construction, pipes (occupational).
- After exposure to asbestos:
- Mesothelioma: 20-40 years later.
- Asbestos dust: Causes pleural thickening, asbestosis, mesothelioma, and adenocarcinoma of the lung.
Asbestosis:
Nodular interstitial fibrosis due to asbestos dust (silicate). Primarily caused by Crocidolite (blue asbestos).
- Slowly progressive: Fibrosis of parietal and visceral pleura.
- Symptoms:
- Breathlessness
- Finger clubbing
- Bilateral basal end-inspiratory crackles
- Complications: Respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension, and cor pulmonale.
- Prognosis: Usually slowly progressive and has a better prognosis than untreated IPF. However, respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension, and cor pulmonale may still develop in advanced cases.
- Lung cancer risk: Those with asbestosis have a 10-fold increased risk of developing lung cancer, with even higher rates amongst those with additional smoking history.
