Abstract
Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) and other mining-related lung diseases are entirely preventable, yet continue to occur. While greater attention has been given to CWP and silicosis, mining exposures cause a broad spectrum of respiratory disease, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis. Physicians must obtain a detailed occupational and exposure history from miners in order to make an accurate diagnosis and determine the risk of disease progression. Mining-related lung diseases are incurable and difficult to treat. Therefore, primary prevention by limiting dust exposure and secondary prevention through chest imaging and physiologic screening should be the primary focus of disease control.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 687-696 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Clinics in Chest Medicine |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2020 |
Keywords
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Coal mine dust
- Coal mine dust lung disease
- Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis
- Dust-related diffuse fibrosis
- Lung cancer
- Mixed-dust pneumoconiosis
- Silicosis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine