What is Asbestosis?

What is Asbestosis?

• Asbestosis: Lung condition from asbestos exposure.
• Asbestosis: A form of lung disease (pneumoconiosis) caused by inhaling fibers of asbestos and marked by interstitial fibrosis of the lung varying in extent from minor involvement of the basal areas to extensive scarring. It is associated with pleural mesothelioma and bronchogenic carcinoma. (Dorland, 27th ed)
  Source - Diseases Database
• Asbestosis: lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos particles.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Asbestosis is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Asbestosis, or a subtype of Asbestosis, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Asbestosis as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

Asbestosis: Introduction

Types of Asbestosis:

Broader types of Asbestosis:

• Work-related conditions
• Respiratory conditions
• Poisoning, overdose, toxicity or adverse reactions
• more types...»

How serious is Asbestosis?

Complications of Asbestosis: see complications of Asbestosis
Deaths for Asbestosis: 550 deaths in America 2001 (NCHS, 2003)

What causes Asbestosis?

Causes of Asbestosis: see causes of Asbestosis
Cause of Asbestosis: Asbestos dust exposure over a period of years.
Risk factors for Asbestosis: see risk factors for Asbestosis

What are the symptoms of Asbestosis?

Symptoms of Asbestosis: see symptoms of Asbestosis

Complications of Asbestosis: see complications of Asbestosis

Asbestosis: Testing

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Asbestosis.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Asbestosis: see treatments for Asbestosis
Research for Asbestosis: see research for Asbestosis

Society issues for Asbestosis

Hospitalization statistics for Asbestosis: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Asbestosis:

• 0.002% (244) of hospital consultant episodes were for pneumoconiosis due to asbestos and other mineral fibres in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 62% of hospital consultant episodes for pneumoconiosis due to asbestos and other mineral fibres required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 98% of hospital consultant episodes for pneumoconiosis due to asbestos and other mineral fibres were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 2% of hospital consultant episodes for pneumoconiosis due to asbestos and other mineral fibres were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Asbestosis:

Organs and body systems related to Asbestosis include:

• Lungs

Name and Aliases of Asbestosis

Main name of condition: Asbestosis

Pulmonary fibrosis [from asbestos exposure], Idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis [from asbestos exposure], Asbestos intoxication

Idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis - from asbestos exposure, Pulmonary fibrosis - from asbestos exposure
Source - Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Asbestosis: Related Conditions

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Asbestosis:

• Pneumoconiosis
• Occupational lung disease
• COPD
• Restrictive lung disease
• Dyspnea
• Lung cancer
• Mining
• Respiratory failure
• Mesothelioma
• Physical therapy
• Nebulization

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