Pictogram 3: Exclamation Mark - Respiratory Tract Irritant
Pictogram 3, the Exclamation Mark pictogram, identifies respiratory tract irritants. The HCS defines respiratory tract irritants (also known as "respiratory toxins") as "chemicals which irritate or damage pulmonary tissue."
The respiratory system's main purpose is to deliver oxygen to the body's bloodstream while simultaneously removing carbon dioxide from the bloodstream. If this system is damaged, it could potentially damage many parts of the body, typically the brain and heart. Other parts of the body that may be damaged include the parts of the upper respiratory system:
- Nose
- Pharynx (the membrane-lined cavity behind the nose and mouth, connecting them to the esophagus)
- Larynx (commonly known as the voice box)
- Trachea (commonly known as the windpipe)
Damage can also occur to the parts of the lower respiratory system, which include the following:
- Bronchi
- Bronchioles
- Lung alveoli
The primary types of respiratory toxicity include the following medical terms:
- Pulmonary irritation
- Asthma/bronchitis
- Reactive airway disease (airway narrowing, as seen in asthma)
- Emphysema (over-inflation of the alveoli)
- Allergic alveolitis (an inflammation of the alveoli)
- Fibrotic lung disease (damaged or scarred lung tissue)
- Pneumoconiosis (lung disease from inhaling dust)
- Lung cancer
Some respiratory toxins act quickly (with acute effects, such as pulmonary irritation), while others act over a long period to time (with chronic effects, such as pulmonary fibrosis).
Examples of respiratory toxins include asbestos, formaldehyde, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide.
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