Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a non-cancerous condition caused by exposure to asbestos. It is caused by asbestos fibers that become lodged in the lungs. As the lungs try to protect the body from these foreign bodies, scar tissue develops and diminishes the lung's capacity for oxygen.

Asbestosis is a progressive disease: as the scarring of the lungs gets worse, the lungs' vital capacity continues to decrease. Asbestosis can cause severe shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, and lead to heart problems. Asbestosis may also be present in people suffering from asbestos-caused cancers such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, although asbestosis does not develop into these or any other form of cancer.

Asbestosis, as with all other asbestos-related diseases, is a latent disease. This means that asbestosis typically develops many years after a person's initial exposure to asbestos. The latency period for asbestosis is typically 15 or more years after initial exposure, but can be shorter or longer than that time period.

Asbestos is a "dose-response" disease. That means that the more asbestos a person is exposed to, the higher his or her risk for developing asbestosis.

There is no currently known treatment or cure for asbestosis. However, people with more severe asbestosis may require oxygen respirators to help them breathe.