Aspestis and COPD?!
Question:
Aspestis and COPD?
Alright, I would prefer a doctor answer this one but if you are almost 100% sure you know the answer, please answer. Can exposure to aspestis cause COPD?
Answers:
No, asbestos exposure does NOT cause COPD. Asbestos exposure can cause "asbestosis" which is a type of pulmonary fibrosis, meaning scar tissue forms in the lungs and makes it hard for oxygen to get through the lung tissue and into the blood stream. Asbestos exposure can also significantly increase the risk of lung cancer, especially in smokers. COPD is similar to asthma but is almost always caused by smoking. In COPD, oxygen is easily passed through lung tissue into the blood stream, but the carbon dioxide (which passes from the blood into the lung and should be exhaled) has trouble getting out of the lungs because of diseased airways. That's a simplified version of it and I hope it makes sense. Anyway, no link between asbestos and develping COPD.