Asbestosis Flashcards
What is asbestosis?
A diffuse interstitial lung fibrosis
Who does asbestosis affect?
Patients with pleural plaque disease ≥10 years following exposure to asbestos.
What is there usually a history of in someone with asbestosis?
History of asbestos exposure, typically 20 or more years prior
What symptoms does someone with asbestosis present with?
Dyspnoea
Cough
What signs might somoene exhibit with asbestosis?
Crepitations on auscultation
Finger clubbing
Cyanosis
Reduced chest expansion
What might you hear on auscultation in someone with asbestosis?
Inspiratory crepitations
What would a lung function test show in someone with asbestosis?
Restritive pattern
Where is typicaly affected by fibrosis in someone with asbestosis?
Lower lobe fibrosis
What is the severity of asbestosis related to?
The length of exposure
What might you find on a chest x-ray of someone with asbestosis?
Linear interstitial fibrosis
Pleural plaques
Pleural thickening
Atelectasis
What might you find on a high resolution CT of someone with Asbestosis?
Pleural thickening
Pleural plaques
What is the management of asbestosis?
Conservative management
–Smoking cessation
–Oxygen therapy if SpO2 ≤89%
