Air Pollution Can Stimulating Emphysema

Air pollution can Stimulating Emphysema

Recent research showed that people who live near roads and air pollution are often exposed to greater risk of health problems suffered emphysema and others.

Air pollution from motor vehicles in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta and is at the stage of worrying. In fact, the so-called air quality in Jakarta is currently ranked third worst in the world, after Mexico and Bangkok.

Low levels of air pollution in Jakarta, causing many social problems of their residents. The main problem, of course, a health problem.

According to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), 46% of the disease in Jakarta are caused by air pollution, where the diseases are generally respiratory infections, asthma and lung cancer.

In addition to these diseases, pollution is also potentially lead to physiological changes in humans, as the weakening of the function of lungs and affect blood pressure. A new study reinforces that fact.

Air pollution is shown to aggravate symptoms in people with lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a group of lung diseases that severely damaged the disease, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

However, if long-term exposure to air pollution affects the likelihood that someone has COPD? So far, the answer remains uncertain.

In the latter study, the researchers found evidence that among nearly 53,000 people of Danish adults followed for 35 years is estimated that exposure to polluted air route, the risk of developing COPD was higher than those with little exposure.

The findings appear in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, that shows the relationship between air pollution on the road and the risk of COPD.

The researchers, however, does not prove causation in this matter. Smoking is the main cause of COPD, estimated to be behind more than 95% of cases. Other environmental factors such as heavy exposure to coal dust, grain or wood, can also cause COPD.

The new findings raise the possibility that long-term exposure to air pollution on the road contributes to the risk of COPD in some people, especially vulnerable to certain health conditions such as asthma.

"If that happens, a person's risk for COPD due to exposure to contamination will be very small compared to smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke," said study leader Zorana J Andersen, Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen, Denmark, according to Reuters Health.

However, he said, the population level, even small risks associated with air pollution from vehicle exhaust "can not be ignored," given the millions of people living in urban areas levels high pollution.

These findings are based on 52,799 adults aged 50 to 64 who filled out a questionnaire containing questions about health and lifestyle, including smoking history, in the mid 1990's.

Andersen's team used data from participants in the Danish hospital patients who enroll in treating COPD first attacked between 1971 and 2006. Also, estimating individual long-term exposure to the highway pollutants home of his residence during the study period.

In total, more than 3% of study participants had been admitted to the hospital for the first time for the treatment of COPD in the study.

When the researchers analyzed the long-term average exposure to nitrogen dioxide participants

"Pollutants caused by automobile exhaust, the researchers found that exposure levels above 25% more likely to be hospitalized because of COPD than those with less than 25%.

The relationship between pollution and the risk of COPD road appear stronger among people with asthma or diabetes than those who were in good health. This, according to Andersen's team, the likelihood that people in poor health who experienced systemic inflammation in the body are more susceptible to the effects of road pollution on lung function.

But researchers also cautioned that, in terms of statistics, the conclusion that the relationship is still weak or is still "within." They are also reminded to be careful in interpreting the strength of the causal relationship has been reported in this study and possible duplication of these results with other studies.

Another limitation of this research, including the fact that exposure to contamination of the participants provided on the basis of their residential address. But when a person is actually exposed to contamination may be from various sources, is unknown.

However, Andersen said that one should be aware that heavy exposure to highway pollution has long been associated with numerous health risks, including the development of asthma and deaths from heart disease and stroke.

The American Heart Association showed that people with heart disease risk and others, including parents and those with risk factors for heart disease such as diabetes and high blood pressure, immediately reduce your exposure to smoke from vehicles pollution on the road.

At a broader level, Andersen said, the relationship between air pollution and risks to human health is very important to support government policies that are used as pollution control in a country.

http://lifestyle.okezone.com/read/2010/10/16/27/383129/polusi-udara-pacu-emfisema