FLUORIDES AND FLUOROCARBONS TOXICITY

Course overview

FLUOROCARBONS ARE FLUORINATED CARBON CHAIN POLYMERS THAT ARE USED IN AN ASSORTMENT OF HOUSEHOLD AND COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AS WATERPROOFING AGENTS, LUBRICANTS, SEALANTS, AND LEATHER CONDITIONERS. THESE PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED IN SPORADIC OUTBREAKS OF RESPIRATORY ILLNESS CHARACTERIZED BY DYSPNEA, COUGH, AND CHEST PAIN. THOUGH TYPICALLY SELF-LIMITED, MORE SEVERE EXPOSURE MAY LEAD TO RESPIRATORY FAILURE, ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME (ARDS), AND EVEN DEATH. STUDIES INVESTIGATING THE MECHANISM OF FLUOROPOLYMER-RELATED RESPIRATORY ILLNESS IN HUMANS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO PERFORM FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: CHEMICAL FORMULATION OF THESE PRODUCTS IS PROPRIETARY, CHEMICAL FORMULATIONS ARE INTERMITTENTLY REFORMULATED, PRODUCT LABELS AND SAFETY DATA SHEETS (SDS) MAY NOT REPORT FLUOROCARBON PRESENCE IF PRESENT ONLY IN SMALL AMOUNTS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT/PREVENTION OF FLUORIDE/FLUOROCARBON TOXICITY, AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.