Health Department releases new guidelines to treate WTC exposure.

Five years after thousands of New York construction workers and others worked extended shifts clearing debris and recovering remains from Ground Zero, the New York City Department of Health has released updated clinical guidelines for health care providers on how to treat adults exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster. Presently being mailed out to health care providers across the city, the new guidelines give doctors tips on how to detect illnesses possibly associated with WTC exposures.

"Five years after the World Trade Center attacks, many New Yorkers have disaster associated physical and mental health conditions," said Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden. "Today, we are releasing an important document to help doctors better recognize and treat these illnesses."

Doctors are urged especially to ask patients about WTC exposure in patients suffering respiratory ailments, reflux disease, mental health problems and substance abuse issues.

"We anticipate that the updated guidelines will help health professionals diagnose and treat prevalent World Trade Center associated conditions," said Dr. John Howard, coordinator of WTC health response programs for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "We will help distribute the guidelines to physicians and others who are assisting individuals exposed to the WTC disaster."

The Associated Press recently reported that more than 600 Ground Zero workers in 34 states have received medical screening for their exposure to dust inhaled during cleanup of the site.

The Health Department had previously issued guidelines meant to help identify emotional stress caused by 9/11. The new guidelines also contain descriptions of physical symptoms and could be of special help to physicians outside the area who are unfamiliar with the potential effects, physical and mental, of WTC site exposure.