A number of indoor environmental asthma triggers are biologic pollutants. Consequently, allergens and irritants from the indoor environment may play a significant role in triggering asthma episodes. population, on the average, spends as much as 90% of its time indoors. Additionally, it is the leading cause of school absenteeism-14 million school days lost each year-from chronic illness. The impact on neighborhoods, school systems, and health care facilities from asthma is severe because one-third of all pediatric emergency room visits are due to asthma, and it is the fourth most prominent cause of physician office visits. Low-income African-Americans and certain Hispanic populations suffer disproportionately, with urban inner cities having particularly severe problems. Asthma is more common in children than in adults, with nearly 1 of every 13 school-age children having asthma. Some of the known triggers of intrinsic asthma are infections, such as cold and flu viruses, exercise and cold air, industrial and occupational pollutants, food additives and preservatives, drugs such as aspirin, and emotional stress. Intrinsic asthma usually starts in adulthood without a strong family history of asthma. There is no antibody hypersensitivity in intrinsic asthma. Intrinsic asthma has a known cause, but the connection between the cause and the symptoms is not clearly understood. Individuals with extrinsic asthma produce an excess amount of antibodies when exposed to triggers. Extrinsic asthma has a known cause, such as allergies to dust mites, various pollens, grass or weeds, or pet danders. Most people with asthma do not fall neatly into either type, but somewhere in between, displaying characteristics of both classifications. Asthma can be broken down into two groups based on the causes of an attack: extrinsic (allergic) and intrinsic (nonallergic). Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways that causes recurrent and distressing episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. Allergic reactions are the result of repeated exposure and immunologic sensitization to particular biologic allergens.Īlthough pollen allergies can be bothersome, asthmatic responses to pollutants can be life threatening. Influenza virus transmission, although vaccines have been developed, still remains of concern in crowded indoor conditions and can be affected by ventilation levels in the home.Ĭommon pollutants, such as pollen, originate from plants and can elicit symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, shortness of breath, dizziness, lethargy, fever, and digestive problems. However, the first two are now preventable with vaccines. Some biologic pollutants, such as measles, chickenpox, and influenza are transmitted through the air. These biologic pollutants can be related to some serious health effects. Indoor pollutants can be placed into two groups, biologic and chemical.īiologic pollutants include bacteria, molds, viruses, animal dander, cat saliva, dust mites, cockroaches, and pollen. In addition, high temperature and humidity levels can increase the concentration of some pollutants. Air pollutant levels in the home increase if not enough outdoor air is brought in to dilute emissions from indoor sources and to carry indoor air pollutants out of the home. Numerous forms of indoor air pollution are possible in the modern home. Such groups include the young, the elderly, and the chronically ill, especially those suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular disease. In addition, people exposed to indoor air pollutants for the longest periods are often those most susceptible to their effects. Thus, for many people, the risks to health from exposure to indoor air pollution may be greater than risks from outdoor pollution. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Indoor air pollution and exposure to hazardous substances in the home are risks we can do something about. Some are risks we might decide to avoid if we had the opportunity to make informed choices. Some we choose to accept because to do otherwise would restrict our ability to lead our lives the way we want. Driving in cars, flying in airplanes, engaging in recreational activities, and being exposed to environmental pollutants all pose varying degrees of risk. We all face a variety of risks to our health as we go about our day-to-day lives. “Walking into a modern building can sometimes be compared to placing your head inside a plastic bag that is filled with toxic fumes.” Download Adobe Acrobat version of the manual Cdc-pdf
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