How to live safely with asbestos-containing materials? Dangers of asbestos One of the most widespread uses of asbestos in the construction industry is the creation of fiber-cement sheets for roofing, which we often call Phibroximang, or asbestos-cement corrugated iron. Because of its heat-resistant and fire-resistant properties, asbestos has been added to many roofing products, including tiles. Fiber cement board contains not only asbestos. They are mostly made from cement. According to manufacturers, fiber cement panels are usually made of 10-15% asbestos. The most common way for asbestos fibers to enter the body is through the airways. In fact, asbestos-containing material is not generally considered harmful unless it releases dust or fibers into the air where they can be inhaled or ingested. Much of the fiber gets stuck in the mucous membranes of the nose and throat, where it can be eliminated, but some can travel deep into the lungs, or if swallowed, into the digestive tract. Once they get trapped in the body, the fibers can cause health problems. Asbestos is most dangerous when it is flaking. The term “friable” means that asbestos is easily broken up by hand, releasing fibers into the air. Asbestos is often “faded” after the roofing sheet is used for a number of years, rain, wind and moss make the protective cement layer rot. Damage and deterioration will increase the friability of asbestos-containing materials. Water damage, constant shaking, aging and physical impact such as drilling, grinding, polishing, cutting, sawing or impact can break materials making it easier to release fibers. Ceiling tiles, floor tiles containing asbestos, heat and sound insulation layers, shingles, fire doors, especially roofing sheets… will not release asbestos fibers unless they are disturbed or damaged as mentioned above. . For example, if asbestos ceiling tiles are drilled or broken, it can release fibers into the air. If it is left alone and undisturbed, it will not release the asbestos fibers, but this is very unlikely in practice, for example, when roofing sheets are used for a long time. Currently, there is no decision requiring removal of asbestos roofs, so the decision is up to the community. Obviously, it will be necessary to take into account the cost of removal and replacement. Therefore, for new roofs, it is not necessary to remove, but can live with it, provided that there are safe solutions. But with a weathered roof, there is a great risk of deterioration, which can expose families and neighbors of homes with asbestos to harmful asbestos fibers. Theoretically, in roofing, asbestos materials mixed with cement should be kept tight, they do not pose the same threat as fragile materials to human health. However, if these roofing sheets are broken, corroded, disturbed, damaged, degraded or broken, they can release toxic fibers into the air and become hazardous. Corrosion of asbestos-containing products by weather (rain, sun, wind, storm or frost, which causes a change in the cement layer surrounding the asbestos fiber over time) can cause fiber release in within 15 years. Safe living with asbestos When living with irreplaceable asbestos-containing material, it should be checked regularly for signs of wear or damage such as tears, scratches or water damage. If asbestos-containing materials are damaged more than mildly, or if home repairs are being made that could disturb it, extreme care should be taken and handling it in accordance with safety regulations. When asbestos-containing material is damaged, activities around it should be kept to a minimum. Take all precautions to avoid damage to the asbestos material. With any type of repair, the asbestos must be kept in place. Repair is usually cheaper than removal, but it can make later removal of asbestos, inevitably, more difficult and costly. Major repairs should only be carried out by specialized units that know the safe handling methods of asbestos. Before performing minor repairs, be sure to follow all of the precautions outlined above. Always wet the asbestos material using a fine mist of water containing a few drops of detergent. Areas with insulation can be covered by wrapping a special fabric, such as flexable glass cloth, around it. These products are available in stores. This is the best, safest, economic thing possible. We should replace asbestos-containing materials with other materials, such as: corrugated iron roof, PVA fiber roof, steel pipes… Currently, on the market, there are many alternative materials that are both durable and good. no effect on health and reasonable price. What not to do with asbestos-containing materials in the home: Do not dust, sweep, or vacuum debris that may contain asbestos. Do not saw, sand, scrape or drill holes in the face of the asbestos material. Do not use sandpaper, wire brush or other hard objects to remove rough spots on the surface of asbestos-containing materials. Never use the wiper on dry floors. Do not sand or attempt to smooth the floor with asbestos or its substrate. When asbestos floors need to be replaced, install new floor coverings on top if possible. Avoid contact with broken or broken asbestos materials. Take all precautions to not damage any materials that may contain asbestos. Only hire trained personnel to inspect, test, repair or remove asbestos. Asbestos is a toxic and dangerous mineral. Asbestos in all natural forms, including chrysotile asbestos, is a substance with proven carcinogenic activity in animals and humans, capable of causing cancer of the lungs, peritoneum, pleura, stomach and organs other in contact with asbestos particles. Temporarily without replacement, it is possible to live with asbestos-containing material, if it is not old (before 15 years), but with extreme caution. To reduce the risk of cancers, asbestos-containing materials should be removed, if temporarily unavailable, protect it with a coating or polyethylene film to prevent damage and dust release.

Analysis conducted on Roche’s pharmacovigilance database showed 99 cases of serious adverse skin reactions, including 36 cases confirmed by histopathology or according to a specialist’s diagnosis. , in patients taking atezolizumab. About 23,654 patients who were treated in clinical trials and 106,316 after the drug was licensed for circulation in the market were exposed to atezolizumab as of May 17, 2020.

The incidence of serious adverse skin reactions based on laboratory clinical trials with atezolizumab as monotherapy and combination was 0.7% and 0.6%, respectively. A death from toxic epidermal necrolysis has been reported in a 77-year-old patient treated with atezolizumab as monotherapy.

Concerned about the above serious adverse reactions that may occur when taking the drug, Roche Company recommends: If serious adverse skin reactions are suspected, the patient should be referred to a specialist. to be diagnosed and handled appropriately. Treatment with atezolizumab should be discontinued if Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis is suspected. Treatment with atezolizumab should be permanently discontinued if Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis is confirmed, as well as any adverse skin reactions or severe rash at grade 4. Atezolizumab should be used. Caution is given to patients with a history of serious or life-threatening adverse skin reactions during previous treatment with another immunostimulating anticancer drug.

MSc. DS. Chu Thanh Hang

((According to ansm, 4/2021))

Recently, Tiktok social media users are hand-in-hand clips of cigarette smoke under a microscope to clearly see the level of toxicity. Accordingly, the person who made the plastic bottle for fresh water used up poured filtered water near the bottle and covered it. On the lid of this bottle will be punched a hole so that it fits the smoking head. They set the cigarette on fire and put all the smoke through the bottle. Then tobacco smoke will pass through the filter.

As a result, removing the filter plate is obtained filter plate imbued with tobacco essential oil. “This essential oil contains a lot of toxic substances such as lead, arsenic, ammonia, cyanide – which is the main cause of lung cancer, sudden infant death syndrome and many other diseases.”

In front of the clip of cigarette smoke under a microscope, many people left comments expressing awe even though the harm of tobacco has so far been greatly mentioned. One account commented: “This is just a cigarette and the filter is so golden, it is not understood to those who one day smoke 1 sack, 2 bags, what their lungs will be like.”. Many others expressed their horror, their desire to see e-cigarettes…

How dangerous is smoking really?

As noted by the World Health Organization, tobacco is the main cause of deaths worldwide, and is the leading cause of disease that can actually be prevented. Every year, tobacco lives nearly 8 million people around the world, including more than 5 million who have been and are smoking, 1 million of them innocent – they are passive smokers.

Prof. Luong Ngoc Khue (Director General of The Medical Examination and Treatment Management Department, Ministry of Health, as well as Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund) shared that Vietnam has 33 million people who do not smoke but regularly inhale smoke at home and more than 5 million non-smoking adults regularly inhale smoke in the workplace. These figures are enough to show how dangerous the horrific harm of passive smoking is.

The percentage of patients with lung cancer who smoke is 96.8%. Diseases and premature death from tobacco use account for 12% of the total burden of disease in Vietnam.

Tobacco is the main cause of deaths worldwide, and is the leading cause of disease that can actually be prevented.

Diseases directly caused by tobacco use such as stroke, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer are the leading causes of death in both men and women. Tobacco causes 25 different diseases but in general, tobacco causes 90% of lung cancer cases, 75% of chronic obstructive pulmonary cases and 25% of isotonic heart disease cases.

Speaking about the harmful effects of tobacco, Former Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien cited that 90% of the more than 600,000 people with lung cancer annually in the world are smokers. Smoking is also the cause of 75% of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Obviously, smoking is very harmful to health. But it is worth mentioning here that smoking not only harms the person who directly smokes, but is also dangerous for those who do not smoke but accidentally have to inhale the smoke released by others. In particular, there are cases where the victims are extremely tragic women and children. They may be wives, children of smokers so that when the heartbreak happens, the husband, the father, even regrets, can not be saved.

Children who inhale tobacco smoke (passive smoking) are subjected to

the most severe consequences

According to information from the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund (Ministry of Health), globally, it is estimated that every year up to 165,000 children die before the age of 5 from lower respiratory tract infections caused by passive smoking.

It is estimated that up to 165,000 children die before the age of 5 from lower respiratory tract infections caused by passive smoking.

Representatives of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund said that children who smoke passive cigarettes are at risk of developing asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, respiratory infections … In addition, children who inhale second-line smoke may suffer health consequences in adulthood such as an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to frequent lower respiratory tract infections. Babies exposed to toxins in smoke from the time they are in the womb will experience delayed development of lung function.

Ass. Dr. Nguyen Tien Dung (former Head of Pediatrics Department, Hospital Bach Mai) added that there is a fact that children admitted to hospital due to respiratory diseases with parents smoking cigarettes are much higher than children whose parents do not have this behavior.

“Young children are the most affected when there are smokers in the house.”, the expert asserts.

He voiced a profound warning to children with parents who smoke cigarettes the increased risk of sudden infant death, an increased risk of children with acute asthma and asthma. When you smoke, your smoking smoke increases the risk of asthma exacerbated, increasing the risk of chronic otitis in children. If you smoke, that risk doubles. If both parents smoke together, the risk increases even more.

Pregnant women who inhale tobacco smoke face a range of risks

Tobacco smoke contains up to 7,000 types of chemicals. Among these, there are more than 70 types of chemicals that are toxic to humans, leading to cancers, with typical ingredients such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, cyanide, lead … If the mother actively or actively inhales tobacco smoke, these toxic substances can follow the blood and transmit it to the fetus.

For pregnant women, passive smoking can cause still life and miscarriage. When pregnant women inhale tobacco smoke, nicotine and other toxic substances will pass through the lungs into your bloodstream and go directly to the baby. This can cause risks such as fetal developmental delay, increased risk of premature birth, causing brain and lung damage to the fetus, increasing the risk of still life…

It is worth mentioning that pregnant women often have weaker-than-normal resistance. Whether accidentally or intentionally exposed to tobacco smoke causes serious effects on the mother and fetus, which can lead to thyroid problems, premature amniotic rupture.

Therefore, preventing the effects of tobacco smoke on pregnant mothers is necessary to protect the health of both the mother and the fetus. Pregnant women should avoid going to crowded places as well as family members also actively eliminate smoke when there are pregnant women.