Posted by CCF Cardio MD sc on August 21, 1997 at 16:02:24:

In Reply to: Heart failure due to oil mist inhalation posted by Masato Yokoyama on August 17, 1997 at 19:29:00:

: A friend of mine is suffering from heart failure and occasional breathing difficulty.

Nothing is proved as cause of his problem so far.

He is working under compressor oil mist for industrial factory.
He suspects that oil mist inhalation may be the cause.

It was said that there is no medical relationship between his heart failure and oil mist in his work circumstances by a doctor.

But, one day when he uses heavy duty gas mask, his pain goes away.
His boss told him that if he brings any evident of relationship between oil mist inhallation and heart failure, he can be transfered to different position of job.

If you have any kind information related this matter, please send me information to Mint1000@aol.com.

Thank you.

I am very sorry to hear about the predicament your friend is in. Obviously I cannot make any clinical judgment about your patient without examining him. There are a few points I can make about the question you have asked me. After reviewing all the medical literature in the last 5 years and there is no reference to oil mist causing heart failure or any heart problems. What has been reported is a number of unrelated conditions affecting different organ systems. These include skin disorders ( contact dermatitis, and benign and malignant scrotal tumors ), and respiratory system disorders ( nasal mucosal dysplasia, nasal mucosal tumors, carcinoma of the larynx, bronchitis , lipoid pneumonia, lung fibrosis, bronchial asthma and lung carcinoma. However although mist appears to be involved in a number of diseases cause and effect relationship still remains a region of conjecture.
With regards to your friend I suggest that first of all his physician determines that he really does have heart failure, not a condition that could present in a similar fashion such as a lung disorder which could present with shortness of breath. If he really does have heart failure the next step would be to rule some of the more common causes of heart failure such as narrowing or blockages of the coronary artery or long standing hypertension to include a few. In conclusion there is one area of concern in your friends symptomatology, that is that patients with heart failure should not be experiencing any significant pain syndromes and if that is the case a reason for his pain should also be elicited. Hope that this information will be of benefit to your friend.

Information provided in the Heart Forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only. Actual diagnosis and treatment of any particular medical condition can only be made by your family physician(s).