BERYLLIUM TOXICITY

Course overview

BERYLLIUM IS A LIGHT GREY ALKALINE EARTH METAL FOUND NATURALLY IN THE ENVIRONMENT. BERYLLIUM IS RELEASED INTO THE ENVIRONMENT PRIMARILY DURING THE COMBUSTION OF FOSSIL FUELS, ALTHOUGH IT HAS APPLICATIONS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGICAL FIELDS. BERYLLIUM EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ACUTE AND LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS, MAKING ITS IMMEDIATE IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT CRUCIAL. BERYLLIUM EXPOSURE HAS BEEN LINKED TO WORKERS IN THE NUCLEAR, DEFENSE, ELECTRONICS, BIOMEDICAL, AND SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRIES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION, TREATMENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE BERYLLIUM TOXICITY AND CHRONIC BERYLLIUM DISEASE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.