OFF-The-chart pollution of delhi & its health impacts
Delhi has recently been referred to as a “gas chamber” by its Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal. The air quality of the capital & its neighboring areas i.e., Noida & Gurugram has become severe and reached such an abnormally high level that it’s equivalent to smoking 25 cigarettes a day. The presence of eight air pollutants are considered to evaluate the air quality index (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb). PM 2.5 can easily cross the body’s defense mechanism of coughing, sneezing, or swallowing and get deep into the respiratory tract, entering our lungs and bloodstream. Air pollution has adverse health impacts:
Are you facing respiratory issues?
The direct impacts air pollution has on the human body is on respiration and it attacks the lungs.
Studies have shown that air pollution causes all of the below-mentioned medical issues:
- Upper respiratory symptoms
- Lower respiratory symptoms: Dry cough, wheezing, breathlessness, chest discomfort.
- Asthma
- Reduced lung function
- Restrictive, obstructive as well as combined lung function deficits
- Metaplasia & dysplasia of airway epithelial cells
- Cytological changes in sputum
- Chronic obstructive airway disease, COPD, COAD
- Respiratory morbidity
Facing health impacts other than respiratory disorders?
It doesn’t only affect the lungs and respiration. Several non-respiratory effects are associated with the adverse impact of air pollution on human health:
- Hypertension: PM10 was found to be related to hypertension.
- Chronic headache
- Eye irritation
- Skin irritation
- Attention-deficit hyperactive disorder: This is due to increased lead levels in the blood which acts as a risk factor for abnormal mental development in children.
- Decreased serum concentration of Vitamin D metabolites
- Increased all-natural-cause mortality
This peak level of air pollutants causes serious long-term health problems. Dr. Mohit Singh Tandon is an extremely competent physician and non-invasive cardiologist specializing in respiratory disorders, hypertension, and clinical & preventive cardiology, based in Saket, New Delhi with more than 10 years of experience.
Contact us
Sai baba Mandir, D block-129, Saket, New Delhi-110017