SILICOSIS

Course overview

SILICA IS THE MOST PLENTIFUL MINERAL ON EARTH AND IS THE PRIMARY CONSTITUENT IN MOST ROCKS. THE RESPIRABLE FORM OF SILICA IS SMALL ENOUGH TO REACH THE TERMINAL BRONCHIOLES AND ALVEOLI OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. TYPICAL IMMUNE MECHANISMS CANNOT CLEAR THESE PARTICLES FROM THE LUNG, INITIATING A PATHOLOGIC CYCLE OF INFLAMMATION AND PARENCHYMAL DAMAGE THAT ULTIMATELY LEADS TO SILICOSIS. SILICOSIS IS THE WORLD'S MOST PREVALENT OCCUPATIONAL LUNG DISEASE AND IS CHARACTERIZED BY IRREVERSIBLE, PROGRESSIVE PULMONARY FIBROSIS LEADING TO RESTRICTIVE LUNG DISEASE. SILICOSIS IS A PREVENTABLE DISEASE WITH SIGNIFICANT MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY THAT HAS NO CURE. EDUCATION ON PREVENTION, SCREENING, TIMELY DIAGNOSIS, AVOIDANCE OF EXACERBATING FACTORS, AND TREATMENT OF COMPLICATIONS IS IMPERATIVE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, EPIDEMIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, CLINICAL EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF SILICOSIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS OCCUPATIONAL PNEUMOCONIOSIS.