Pathophysiology, Signs and Symptoms of Pneumoconiosis due to Asbestosis
Pneumoconiosis due to Asbestosis
The disease is caused by inhalation of asbestos dust, causing pneumoconiosis which is characterized by pulmonary fibrosis. Exposure can occurred in the industrial and mining areas or areas where the air asbestos dust polluted. Workers can be exposed to asbestosis is miners, milling, transportation, merchants, workers ship and the destroyer of asbestos workers.
In the early stages there may be no symptoms even though the X-ray of the thorax showed a picture of asbestosis / pleural thickening. The main symptom is shortness of breath initially occurs at the time of the activity. In the later stages a common symptom is shortness of breath at rest, cough, and weight loss. Shortness of breath continued to deteriorate despite the patient kept from exposure to asbestos, 15 years after the onset of the disease usually occurs cor pulmonale and death. Patients often have respiratory infections, malignancy of the bronchi, gastrointestinal and pleura are often the cause of death.
In the early stages, the physical examination is not much showing abnormalities, due to diffuse fibrosis can be heard in the wet crackles under the posterior lobe. This sounds more clearly when there bronchiectasis (a disease characterized by the presence of pathological dilatation of the bronchi and ongoing chronic) due to distortion because of extensive pulmonary fibrosis. Clubbing (Clubbing finger) are often found in patients with asbestosis.
Changes in the X-ray of the thorax is more obvious in the middle and bottom of the lungs, can be diffuse spots, or white spots, shadow heart often becomes blurred. The diaphragm can be elevated in advanced stage due to the shrinking lung. Usually occurs bilateral pleural thickening, seen in the middle and lower regions, especially in case of calcification. When the process further, visible picture of a wasp nest in the lower lobes. May be found bronchial malignancy or mesothelioma (pleural cancer). In contrast to coal pneumoconiosis and silicosis sufferers can have symptoms of shortness of breath without chest X-ray abnormalities. Examination of lung function showed abnormalities restriction even though there are no symptoms, in some patients there are abnormalities obstruction. Diffusion capacity and decreased lung compliance, at an advanced stage occurs hypoxemia.
Lung biopsy may be necessary in certain cases to confirm the diagnosis. Transbronchial lung biopsy should be performed to obtain lung tissue. Bronchoscopic examination is also useful to get rid of or confirm the existence of bronchial carcinoma can occur simultaneously with the occurrence of asbestosis.
The disease is caused by inhalation of asbestos dust, causing pneumoconiosis which is characterized by pulmonary fibrosis. Exposure can occurred in the industrial and mining areas or areas where the air asbestos dust polluted. Workers can be exposed to asbestosis is miners, milling, transportation, merchants, workers ship and the destroyer of asbestos workers.
In the early stages, the physical examination is not much showing abnormalities, due to diffuse fibrosis can be heard in the wet crackles under the posterior lobe. This sounds more clearly when there bronchiectasis (a disease characterized by the presence of pathological dilatation of the bronchi and ongoing chronic) due to distortion because of extensive pulmonary fibrosis. Clubbing (Clubbing finger) are often found in patients with asbestosis.
Changes in the X-ray of the thorax is more obvious in the middle and bottom of the lungs, can be diffuse spots, or white spots, shadow heart often becomes blurred. The diaphragm can be elevated in advanced stage due to the shrinking lung. Usually occurs bilateral pleural thickening, seen in the middle and lower regions, especially in case of calcification. When the process further, visible picture of a wasp nest in the lower lobes. May be found bronchial malignancy or mesothelioma (pleural cancer). In contrast to coal pneumoconiosis and silicosis sufferers can have symptoms of shortness of breath without chest X-ray abnormalities. Examination of lung function showed abnormalities restriction even though there are no symptoms, in some patients there are abnormalities obstruction. Diffusion capacity and decreased lung compliance, at an advanced stage occurs hypoxemia.
Lung biopsy may be necessary in certain cases to confirm the diagnosis. Transbronchial lung biopsy should be performed to obtain lung tissue. Bronchoscopic examination is also useful to get rid of or confirm the existence of bronchial carcinoma can occur simultaneously with the occurrence of asbestosis.
