Introduction:
Chronic respiratory disease refers to a group of illnesses that include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonitis, asbestosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and other lung disorders. These are the serious conditions that make breathing difficult. Environmental exposures are major factors that trigger the exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease and also contribute to disease progression, worsening of symptoms, and increased need for medical attention. This article briefly explains what environmental factors contribute to exacerbating long-term respiratory diseases and the strategies to minimize these triggers to improve respiratory disease outcomes.
What Are Chronic Respiratory Diseases?
Chronic respiratory diseases are a group of disorders that impact the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system. It often starts slowly and could get worse with time. Air pollution in the form of dust, chemicals, tobacco smoke, and secondhand smoke can all contribute to chronic lung illness. Individuals who suffer from long-term respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD are vulnerable to the negative impact of environmental pollution.
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Asthma: Air pollutants can impact the prevalence of asthma, its onset, symptoms, and the reaction to treatment. Childhood asthma risk is increased by early exposure to NO2. According to some research, infants exposed to traffic air pollutants during infancy experienced long-term respiratory effects and reduced lung function.
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COPD: This is marked by an inflammatory response to noxious particles or gasses in the lungs and airways, which is a hallmark of COPD. Studies revealed that exposure to wood smoke from cooking in the home increased the incidence of chronic obstructive lung disease in women living in developing countries. Air pollutants, such as PM from burning fossil fuels, might aggravate lung inflammation and worsen COPD's already diminished lung function. Patients with COPD typically experience higher rates of emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and, in rare circumstances, death when exposed to particulate pollution.
Which Environmental Exposures Exacerbate Chronic Respiratory Diseases?
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Air Pollution: This is a mixture of different gasses and particles released by vehicles, factories, building sites, and wood fires. Common pollutants in the air are particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and lead. These pollutants can enter deep into the lungs, harming the airway epithelium and inducing oxidative stress and inflammation, particularly in people with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD. Long-term exposure to these air pollutants has been associated with increased respiratory morbidity and mortality.
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Combustion of Solid Fuels: In many developing countries, people use solid fuels such as coal, wood, and cow dung for cooking purposes and heating their homes. The burning of the solid fuel emits dangerous toxins into the air. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, PM, and other organic materials, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), can be produced during combustion. Combustion can also produce some volatile organic molecules, like formaldehyde and benzene. All these are hazardous for lung health.
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Allergens: Allergens are substances that cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals and lead to symptoms such as wheezing, sneezing, congestion in the nose, and shortness of breath. Dust, mold, pet dander, and cockroach allergies are common indoor allergens, while outdoor allergens include grass, trees, and weeds pollen. Individuals with allergic asthma may experience worsening respiratory symptoms when exposed to these allergens. Allergen exposure can increase the likelihood of asthma attacks and induce airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and mucus production.
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Tobacco Smoking: Due to a lack of knowledge, effective government policies, and bad administration, tobacco use is more prevalent in underdeveloped countries. This can significantly increase the concentration of pollutants indoors. Tobacco contains harmful substances such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, and carcinogens, which can irritate the airways of the lungs, cause inflammation, and reduce lung function. Exposure to tobacco smoke can exacerbate the symptoms of asthma, and also, in COPD patients, its exposure accelerates the progression of disease and reduces the quality of life.
What Are the Measures to Control the Exacerbation of Chronic Respiratory Diseases?
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Replace Traditional Biomass Fuel With Clean Fuels: Replacing traditional biomass fuel such as wood or cow dung with clean fuels considerably decreases indoor air pollution and alleviates chronic respiratory tract infection symptoms.
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Air Quality Index Tool (AQI): The United States Environmental Protection Agency uses AQI to report daily air quality and offers basic information on local air quality. The AQI informs individuals about the quality of air, including its cleanliness and potential health risks. Government websites, local media like television, newspapers, and mobile applications are the current ways to access the AQI. People with chronic respiratory problems like COPD and asthma are more sensitive to air pollution. Such individuals should pay close attention to AQI and adjust their activities accordingly.
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Masks: These are effective against air pollution. N95 masks or similar respirators are the most effective at filtering the fine particles from polluted air, especially PM 2.5. These masks can help reduce exposure to harmful pollutants.
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Avoid Allergens: Identifying and avoiding allergens can help to reduce allergic asthma attacks.
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Air Purifiers: These can capture tiny dust particles, such as particulate matter, that drift throughout the house. The air purifier can be portable, which means it can be removed, fixed, or mounted on walls or ceilings. Most air purifiers use HEPA filters, which are excellent at capturing tidy dust particles.
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Dietary Nutrients: Consuming fresh fruits and certain vegetables is good for lung health. Antioxidant vitamins like vitamins C and E are among many nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. These antioxidant vitamins prevent inflammatory responses and oxidative processes linked to lung diseases.
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Quit Smoking: Cigarette smokers should take the important and comparatively simple steps of quitting smoke, especially those who suffer from chronic respiratory disease. In addition to the detrimental effects of smoking on the pathophysiology of COPD, it is one of the causes of air pollution in confined spaces like rooms. Quitting smoking is crucial for asthmatic patients as well. It can improve lung function and lower the percentage of neutrophils in sputum in smokers with asthma.
Conclusion:
Environmental exposures can make breathing problems worse in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Air pollution, dust, smoke, and occupational hazards can trigger flare-ups, worsening symptoms and causing disease progression. Taking measures to clean up the air, reduce exposure to dust and allergens, and educate people to quit smoking can significantly improve the lives of people with chronic respiratory diseases.
