Key Facts You Should Know About Particle Pollution*
- Particles in the air can cause or aggravate a number of health problems and have been linked with illnesses and deaths from heart or lung diseases.
- At highest risk from particle pollution are people with heart or lung disease, older adults (possibly because they may have undiagnosed heart or lung disease), and children whose lungs are still developing and who are more likely to have asthma.
- Particles of concern include both very small, "fine" particles (that can only be seen through an electron microscope) and somewhat larger "coarse" dust particles. Fine particles have been more clearly linked to the most serious health problems.
- When particle levels are high outdoors, they also can be high indoors.
How can particle pollution affect you?
Fine and coarse particles can cause a variety of serious health problems. When exposed to these particles, people with heart or lung diseases and older adults are more at risk of hospital and emergency room visits or, in some cases, even death. These effects have been associated with short-term exposures lasting 24 hours or less. Long-term exposures of a year or more have been linked to the development of lung diseases, such as chronic bronchitis.
Particles can aggravate heart diseases such as congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease. If you have heart disease, particles may cause you to experience chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath and fatigue. Particles have also been associated with cardiac arrhythmia and heart attacks.
Particles can aggravate lung diseases such as asthma and bronchitis, causing increased medication use and doctor visits. If you have lung disease, and you are exposed to particles, you may not be able to breathe as deeply or vigorously as normal. You may have respiratory symptoms including coughing, phlegm, chest discomfort, wheezing and shortness of breath. You also may experience these symptoms even if you're healthy, although you are unlikely to experience more serious effects. Particles can also increase your susceptibility to respiratory infections.
Certain filters and room air cleaners are available that can help reduce particles indoors. You also can reduce particles indoors by eliminating tobacco smoke and reducing your use of candles, wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. Particles can be reduced by air exchange units, duct cleaning, and air purification devices. For more information on indoor air pollution and filter devices, visit Healthy Homes Solutions Product Catalogue.
*Note: Much of this information is drawn from The United States Environmental Protection Agency. For further information from governmental authorities visit www.epa.gov/iaq
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