What Is the Prognosis of Asbestosis?
Asbestosis is a lung disease that results from long-term exposure to asbestos, a once widely employed material that had usages in construction, manufacturing and insulation. It comes about when an individual inhales asbestos fibers which eventually wind up in the lungs, where they scar the lung tissue and reduce the lung capacity, making it difficult to breathe. The prognosis for asbestosis is dependent on the extent of the damage and whether the individual has other factors involved that can complicate their health.
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Types
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Although many uses and forms of asbestos have been banned in the United States and other nations, asbestos is still common in products such as brake shoe linings, ceiling tiles, electrical equipment and many other things. This means there are still people being exposed to it and developing the diseases associated with it, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma, a cancer of the linings of certain organs. Asbestosis occurs mostly in men over the age of 40 who have worked in jobs with high asbestos exposure for some time. Smokers and drinkers are more at risk of developing it since their systems are compromised by these habits to begin with.
Identification
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It can take years for asbestosis to develop and some of the symptoms such as chest pain and difficulty breathing are alike to other illnesses, making a diagnosis hard. The prognosis for asbestosis comes after the initial examination of the patient and the tests that are used to finally identify the malady. This prognosis is heavily influenced by how much scarring has occurred in the lungs.
Prevention/Solution
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In minor cases of asbestosis the prognosis will be positive. Inhalers can be used to improve breathing and medications can be prescribed to help clear the lungs of secretions that hamper breathing. Fluid can be drained from the lungs when it builds up and other procedures can loosen up mucous which will aid in making breathing easier. However it is important to remember that the damage done by asbestosis cannot be reversed.
Significance
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When the scarring in the lungs is widespread and serious, the prognosis of asbestosis is poor. Lung capacity will be reduced significantly, meaning that much less oxygen will be getting into the person's system. Large reductions in lung capacity can result in terrible complications such as congestive heart failure, since the heart is forced to work so much harder to make blood go through the injured lungs. Supplemental oxygen, various medications including steroids and even lung transplants can treat the disease at this stage but it will often prove fatal nonetheless.
Considerations
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A key component of an asbestosis prognosis is whether or not the person has been able to stop the exposure to asbestos that caused the disease to begin with. The prognosis can only get worse if this does not happen and it will also be negative if the person is a smoker or drinker and does not quit. Those two habits make the symptoms of asbestosis worse and hasten the effects of secondary problems that only add to the trouble.
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