Lead levels in men?!


Question: my husbands work has been found to have a 10% level of lead after some were feeling ill.. my husbands tests came back he has a lead reading of 10 micrograms per decilitre is this bad news if you know about this can you give us a clue as to what this means as he has the highest reading from the rest of the crew..he works at a construction site /boilermaker welder..


Answers: my husbands work has been found to have a 10% level of lead after some were feeling ill.. my husbands tests came back he has a lead reading of 10 micrograms per decilitre is this bad news if you know about this can you give us a clue as to what this means as he has the highest reading from the rest of the crew..he works at a construction site /boilermaker welder..

Adults do not absorb lead as easily as children, 10% range Vs 40% for children. Chronic exposure with elevated BLLs are associated with hypertension, headaches, confusion, irritability, focal motor dysfunction, and insomnia. Higher levels cause drowsiness, loss of muscular coordination, kidney damage, fatigue, apathy, and susceptibility to infection, gouty arthritis conditions, and anemia.

At 10 mcg, the main side effect listed was hypertension .The problem with lead is it's not biodegradable, it never disappears, only accumulates where it is deposited. Lead provides no known biological benefit to humans. Young children absorb lead more readily than adults (42%-48% Vs 8%-10%). Lead may accumulate in the body over decades, and it is stored in the bones and teeth ( half-life is 19 years). There is no such thing as normal or safe levels of lead. More than 95% of retained lead is in bone, acting as a reservoir, where it is in continuous exchange with the soft tissue pools. The half-life of circulating lead in blood is about one month.

Your husband with 10 mcg /dl is listed at an unsafe level. by the CDC. Lead levels in the blood are categorized into Classes I through V. Class V is the most severe and constitutes a medical emergency. The classes are as follows:

Class I: less than 10 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL)
Class II-A: 10 to 14 mcg/dL
Class II-B: 15 to 19 mcg/dL
Class III: 20 to 44 mcg/dL
Class IV: 45 to 69 mcg/dL
Class V: 70 or greater mcg/dL

I don't know the method used for testing in your husband but, a noteable fact is that a lead blood test only measures the amount of lead in the blood. This test does not measure the complete level of lead in the body, it is the best test available at this time.

A urine sample collected over 24 hours and tested for lead can give an information about the total lead in the body (body lead burden) and is often used before treatment to remove lead (chelation therapy) is started.

To get your husband started on treatment, I would consult with an internal medicine doctor.Removal of the source of lead is critical to reducing blood lead levels.

For Classes I through III, ceasing exposure to lead may be sufficient to reduce lead in your body, but that is something that you should consult with your doctor about. Many doctors recommend chelation therapy . During this infusion therapy, an organic chemical bonds with metals in the bloodstream and digs them out of the system. This therapy is standard treatment for heavy metal poisoning, such as lead poisoning, and the management of iron overload.

In addition, I found an article that deals with OSHA & requirements in the workplace:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/lead/
http://www.systoc.com/tracker/Aut00PDF/R...

I hope this information helps. If your husband belongs to a Union, they may be able to address compensation or payment for treatment. If not, you might seek legal counsel to be advised of what your husband's options are or if he might have a case of merit. As soon as possible, talk with your doctor about treatment. You may need to be referred to a specialist for treatment. Good luck!





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