Open AccessLead and cadmium in public health in Nigeria: physicians neglect and pitfall in patient management
Author(s) -
Orish Ebere Orisakwe
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
north american journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2250-1541
pISSN - 1947-2714
DOI - 10.4103/1947-2714.127740
Subject(s) - medicine , neglect , heavy metals , environmental health , public health , lead poisoning , cadmium , incidence (geometry) , scopus , health care , intervention (counseling) , medline , pathology , psychiatry , chemistry , materials science , physics , political science , law , environmental chemistry , economics , optics , metallurgy , economic growth
Low-level heavy metals exposure may contribute much more toward the causation of chronic disease and impaired functioning than previously thought. Among the suggested preventive and intervention measures for the control of renal diseases are the reduction in the exposure to heavy metals. Although these indicate knowledge and awareness of possible role of some heavy metals in the etiogenesis of some chronic diseases by Nigerian Physicians, heavy metal assay as diagnostic guide in patient management is often omitted in most healthcare settings. This is a synoptic capture of the increased incidence and prevalence of some metabolic disorders where heavy metals may be implicated. A search of the terms heavy metal exposure, source, toxicity, metabolic disorders, poisoning in Nigeria, in bibliographical databases (in English language) such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Africa Journal Online (AJOL) digital library was conducted. Leaded gasoline, refuse dumping, absence of poison information centers, and poor record keeping characterize environmental health in Nigeria. Lead and cadmium are of most significant public health importance in Nigeria. The recognition and inclusion of heavy metals assays in the diagnosis of metabolic disorders may ensure early diagnosis and improve management.