Complications can include heart problems like congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and fluid buildup. To diagnose asbestosis, doctors may perform pulmonary function tests, blood tests, CT scans and/or x-rays. The disease is not reversible, but its progression can be slowed and symptoms treated.
What are the side effects of being exposed to asbestos?
- The other side effects of exposure include loss of appetite, weight loss, and difficulty in swallowing. A patient might also find blood in the sputum being coughed up from the lungs. If this happens, there is a possibility that you already have an illness caused by asbestos exposure.
What illnesses are related to asbestos?
- Mesothelioma&Other Cancers. Asbestos is a known carcinogen linked to several types of cancers. ...
- Asbestosis. ...
- Atelectasis. ...
- COPD. ...
- Pleural Effusion. ...
- Diffuse Pleural Thickening. ...
- Pleural Plaques. ...
- Other Asbestos-Related Diseases
Why is asbestos so dangerous?
- Why is asbestos so dangerous? Clients often ask, “Why is asbestos so dangerous?” Asbestos is an indestructible fiber that is so minute, it is easily breathed into your lungs and becomes embedded there. That indestructible fiber is what ultimately causes serious asbestos diseases. We have represented countless families who have asbestos diseases.
Can COPD be caused by asbestos?
- The main cause of COPD is smoking, but environmental toxins like pollution, chemical fumes, or exposure to asbestos and other toxic workplace dust can also trigger the disease. People who have asbestosis, a lung disease caused by asbestos, may develop COPD as a complication. Asbestos is also a known cause of pleural mesothelioma, a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, and it is not uncommon for mesothelioma patients to also have COPD.