Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a lung disease, which cause due to inhalation of asbestos fiber. Generally two types of asbestos fibers found in nature.

1. amphibole which is thin and straight fiber
2. serpentine, which is curved fiber.

The amphibole fibers penetrate easily into deeper part of lungs and reach alveoli. Alveoli is like a air sac which responsible for gaseous exchange ( oxygen from lungs to blood and elimination of carbon dioxide) . These asbestos fibers then triggered inflammatory reaction and form a scar (fiber) like tissue with in alveoli. This fibrous issue thickens alveolar wall. That’s why it losses elasticity and can’t expand or can’t perform gaseous exchange.

The severity of asbestosis depends upon how long the patient exposed to asbestos and how much he inhaled.

In more severe case, right sided heart failure may occur as lungs stiffen. It is also known as Cor pulmonale