Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

By 06/08/2023 05:00 AM EDT • • • • Link Copied • • • • NEW YORK — As a hazy orange-and-gray fog blanketed New York City for a second day Wednesday, hospitals and the EMS system reported no significant increase in medical emergencies from the dense cloud of smoke blown in from Canadian wildfires. Yet. “Broadly, we have not seen a large influx yet of emergency department admissions for respiratory or cardiovascular conditions,” New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said at a press briefing. “That could change very quickly, and it may vary according to neighborhood and according to hospital system.” City and state syndromic surveillance data, which track patterns in emergency department visits, have yet to detect an increase in patients seeking medical assistance for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other respiratory complaints. But NYC Health + Hospitals, the city’s public system, has seen an uptick in patients with smoke-related respiratory symptoms in some of its emergency departments, a spokesperson said Wednesday night. And if history is any indication, the smog that suffocated the city on Thanksgiving weekend 1966 suggests the current cloud of smoke could have a delayed but deadly health impact. “No illnesses attributed to pollution,” a Scientific research has linked exposure to fine particles from wildfire smoke with a number of health issues, both in the short and long term. Children and older adults are particularly vulnerable, as are New Yor...

Key facts • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death worldwide, causing 3.23 million deaths in 2019. • Nearly 90% of COPD deaths in those under 70 years of age occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). • COPD is the seventh leading cause of poor health worldwide (measured by disability-adjusted life years) • Tobacco smoking accounts for over 70% of COPD cases in high-income countries. In LMIC tobacco smoking accounts for 30–40% of COPD cases, and household air pollution is a major risk factor. Overview Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common lung disease causing restricted airflow and breathing problems. It is sometimes called emphysema or chronic bronchitis. In people with COPD, the lungs can get damaged or clogged with phlegm. Symptoms include cough, sometimes with phlegm, difficulty breathing, wheezing and tiredness. Smoking and air pollution are the most common causes of COPD. People with COPD are at higher risk of other health problems. COPD is not curable but symptoms can improve if one avoids smoking and exposure to air pollution and gets vaccines to prevent infections. It can also be treated with medicines, oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation. Symptoms The most common symptoms of COPD are difficulty breathing, chronic cough (sometimes with phlegm) and feeling tired. COPD symptoms can get worse quickly. These are called flare-ups. These usually last for a few days and often require additional medicine....