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Asbestosis and asbestos-related disease

Asbestosis · Azbestóza a nemoci z azbestu

What it is

Asbestos fibres scar the lung (asbestosis) and thicken its lining (pleural plaques) 20–40 years after exposure; they also cause mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Symptoms & signs

  • Slowly progressive breathlessness
  • dry cough
  • chest tightness
  • clubbing in asbestosis

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Coughing up more than a spoonful of blood
  • see a doctor soon Breathlessness that keeps getting worse
  • see a doctor soon Chest pain, weight loss or night sweats
  • see a doctor soon Cough lasting over 3 weeks

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Remove exposure
  • oxygen
  • pulmonary rehabilitation
  • compensation claims
  • prompt investigation of new symptoms (cancer risk stays raised)

Natural & lifestyle

  • Respirator use and workplace controls
  • smoking cessation (multiplies asbestos risk)

Emerging & experimental

  • Anti-fibrotics (nintedanib) in progressive fibrosis
  • CT screening of exposed workers

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • N-acetylcysteine — an antioxidant; small studies in lung scarring, none in asbestosis early / small studies
  • Salt caves and halotherapy — popular; no effect on asbestos scarring anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes