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Chemical pneumonitis

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Definition:

Chemical pneumonitis is inflammation of the lungs or breathing difficulty caused by inhaling chemical fumes.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Many household and industrial chemicals are capable of producing both an acute and a chronic form of inflammation in the lung. Acute chemical pneumonitis causes swelling of the lung tissue, movement of fluid into the air spaces in the lung, and less ability to absorb oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide. In severe cases, death may result from lack of oxygen reaching the tissues ( hypoxia ).

Chlorine gas is one of the most irritating commonly inhaled substance. Exposure to dangerous levels of chlorine gas may occur at home (during use of cleaning materials such as chlorine bleach), in industrial accidents, or near swimming pools. Inhalation of dangerous substances can occur in many different settings, including factories (especially during smelting, welding, or other metal work), the production or use of solvents or pesticides, fires (house fires, wildfires), and the handling of grain.

Chronic chemical pneumonitis can follow low levels of exposure to the lung irritant over extended periods of time. This causes inflammation and may provoke fibrosis (scarring) with decreased oxygen exchange and stiffening of the lung. Unchecked, this condition may ultimately lead to respiratory failure and death.

• Review Date: 11/13/2006
• Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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