Air quality has become a major concern this summer. The wildfires in Canada have scorched hundreds of thousands of acres and have made an impact here in Ohio.
The new buzzwords, “fire haze”, have been used to describe the smoke that looms in the air some days as a result of the fires. The haze that is experienced is affecting as many people as acres of land, especially those who already have respiratory diseases like COPD, asthma and heart disease.
It’s hard enough on respiratory and cardiac function with high temperatures and humidity in Ohio during the summer months. Add the smoke to that and it is almost impossible to be comfortable and breathe easily outdoors. Air quality affects how we live and breathe.
Air quality itself changes each day, and can even change by the hour. The National Weather Service (weather.gov) and Air Now (airnow.gov) use the Air Quality Index (AQI) as a means to determine the quality of the air and to determine when that quality is poor enough it can affect breathing and other health conditions.
What is the air quality index?
Keeps you informed about how clean or polluted the local outdoor air is, and gives information about what health concerns should be addressed. The AQI was developed to keep this information available. The AQI runs from 0-500 and is divided into 6 color categories. Each color represents a number range and corresponds with the quality of air and health concerns for that level. The top five air pollutants are measured with this tool: ground-level ozone, particulate pollution, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxide.
Ground-level ozone (or smog) and airborne particles are the two air pollutants that cause the greatest health risk to humans (airnow.gov). When the air quality is poor there are certain groups of people, referred to as sensitive groups, who may experience an increase in the severity of their disease symptoms. People with COPD, asthma and other respiratory diseases can especially be affected by poor air quality. People with heart disease are also considered sensitive groups.
The symptoms of these diseases, like difficulty breathing, cough and shortness of breath can worsen with decreased air quality. Airnow.gov states pollutants in the air can trigger stroke, heart attack, irregular heart rhythms and worsen heart failure, especially for those who are already at risk for these them.
What to do when air quality is poor
There are ways to protect yourself when the air quality is poor, prevent worsening symptoms of diseases and minimize your risk for a medical emergency like a heart attack or stroke. Here is a list of some things that can be done to help protect your health when air quality is poor:
- Know when/where particle pollution levels will be unhealthy
- Check the AQI at least daily
- Plan outdoor activities during times when pollution levels are low
- Wear a mask if necessary when outdoors
- Plan indoor activities if necessary
- Reduce activity level when air quality is low
- Managing risk for stroke and heart disease
- Know signs/symptoms of heart attack and stroke
- Take medications as prescribed by your doctor for existing conditions, especially those in sensitive groups
- Discuss the need for medication changes with your providers during times when air quality is expected to be poor for longer periods of time
- Seek emergency medical attention for signs/symptoms of heart attack, stroke, and difficulty breathing
For more information on air quality, to check AQI, and for other education related to this topic you can visit weather.gov or airnow.gov.
As always, if you experience chest pain, symptoms of stroke or severe difficulty breathing call 911. If you need a provider and would like to explore options through University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center, visit uhhospitals.org or call 419-207-2501.
Christina Vanderpool is the community outreach and communications and development specialist at University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center in Ashland.