A patient is seen in the clinic for a routine checkup. The patient was diagnosed with simple silicosis 6 months ago and has had no significant changes since. The nurse explains to the patient that simple silicosis is characterized by
Explanation
•Simple silicosis: The patient was exposed to low concentrations of silica and is usually asymptomatic. Abnormalities are usually detected on x-ray.
•Accelerated silicosis: This is characterized by rapidly progressing symptoms and x-ray changes.
•Complicated silicosis: This is characterized by severe scarring and fibrosis of the lung tissue.
•Acute silicosis: Acute silicosis develops within a few years after exposure to silica dust and is characterized by rapid onset of dyspnea, cough, and weight loss. X-ray reveals a ground-glass appearance.