CARDIOTOXICITY DUE TO OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO FREON | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine | ||||
| Article 10, Volume 34, Issue 1, November 2010, Page 129-137 PDF (169.62 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Study paper | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejom.2010.692 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Author | ||||
| Soliman F. | ||||
| The National Egyptian Center of Env. & Toxicol. Research,NECTR, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Objective: The present study was designed to investigate cardiovascular manifestations among occupationally exposed workers to Freon and to assess environmental exposure during the maintenance step of air-conditioners. Subjects and Methods: This study was conducted on twenty four workers occupationally exposed to the Freon 11 with the duration of exposure ranged from 7 to 14 years for 30 to 60 minutes/day and control group (No =20) working in the same company in the administrative department, were involved in this study. All subjects were personally interviewed and clinically examined. Clinical examination & full detailed occupational history, such as work hours, type of fluorocarbon exposure and availability of suitable protective equipment were fulfilled. The cardiovascular system was evaluated by measuring blood pressure, heart rate, and resting ECG. Air samples from the breathing zone of the studied refrigeration services workers were collected during the recharging of different devices & analyzed. Results: The study revealed that there was statistically significant increase in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in Freon exposed group than in control. Chest pain and palpitation were observed more significantly among Freon exposed workers when compared to control group (p = < 0.05). The only ECG findings which revealed statistically significance was the presence of inverted t-waves among Freon exposed workers compared to control. The measured average concentration of Freon in the breathing zone during recharching and repairing activities were found 36,000 mg/m3 that exceed the corresponding normal permissible level (5,600 mg/m3 ). Conclusion: Unprotected occupational exposure to chlorofluorocarbons can induce cardio-toxicity in the form of cardiac arrhythmias, or changes in the ECG. These changes can be prevented by pre-employment selection of unsusceptible workers and periodic monitoring of cardiovascular parameters indicative of toxicity as doing regular ECG. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Key words: Freon; cardiotoxicity; myocardial ischemia; arrhythmias & chlorofluorocarbons | ||||
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