LEAD TOXICITY

Course overview

LEAD BECAME A COMMON OCCUPATIONAL TOXIN WITH THE BIRTH OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, BY THE END OF THE 19-CENTURY CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING SECONDARY TO EXPOSURE TO LEAD-BASED PAINTS WAS BEGINNING TO BE RECOGNIZED. AS THE 20 CENTURY PROGRESSED, SO DID THE APPRECIATION FOR INCREASINGLY SUBTLE AND EVEN SUBCLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF LEAD TOXICITY. TODAY, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS MUST GRAPPLE WITH THE MOUNTING EVIDENCE IMPLICATING LEAD AS A POTENT NEUROTOXIN WITH MEASURABLE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON COGNITION AT VANISHINGLY LOW BLOOD LEAD CONCENTRATIONS IN THE FACE OF THE DIFFICULTIES SURROUNDING THE FEASIBILITY OF COMPLETELY ELIMINATING LEAD FROM CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT/PREVENTION OF LEAD TOXICITY, AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.