Recommendations for management after diagnosis of asbestosis

1. Patient notification

1.1. Inform patient of work-related illness

1.2. Report to appropriate authority as occupational disease, as required by law

1.3. Inform patient that there are options for compensation

2. Impairment assessment

2.1. Conduct an assessment of functional impairment

2.2. Rate impairment in accordance with ATS criteria, which are incorporated into the AMA Guides

3. Tertiary prevention

3.1. Smoking cessation (primary prevention for smoking-related disorders)

3.2. Withdrawal from further excessive exposure

3.3. Immunization (pneumococcal pneumonia, influenza)

3.4. Management of concurrent respiratory and other diseases

4. Monitoring

4.1. Chest film and pulmonary function testing should be conducted every 3 to 5 years

4.2. Active monitoring (periodic screening) for colon cancer

4.3. Observation and elevated index of suspicion but not screening for lung cancer, mesothelioma, gastrointestinal cancers (other than colon)

5. Development of a patient-specific management plan for symptomatic disease

Management_of_asbestosis.htm

AMA: American Medical Association; ATS: American Thoracic Society.

Am J Respir Crit Care Med vol 170 pp 692, 2004; www.atsjournals.org.

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