Respiratory diseases in firefighters and fire exposers

Abstract

With the increasing use of synthetic chemical based products in building construction in recent decades, there has been growing concern over the health hazards to firefighters and fire exposers from the inhalation of the toxic components of smoke. Toxic combustion products can have profound effects on the respiratory system, causing symptoms, physiologic changes, and chronic diseases. Prompt evaluation is important and should include chest films, pulmonary function testing, arterial blood gas analysis, and bronchoscopy. Positive findings require aggressive management with adequate oxygenation, ventilation, pulmonary toilet, and fluid resuscitation. Clinicians caring for individuals who have sustained inhalation damage to their respiratory tract need to comprehensively understand the mechanisms, natural history, management, and prevention of acute inhalation injury, so that they can help individual patients recover without serious complications.