DR. BRYAN CEPEDOZA
MEDICAL INSIDER
FOR OCT 8, 2023-09-29
Climate Change and Lung Diseases
(Part 2)
A Question & Answer Session
with Dr. Bryan Cepedoza
on Climate Change and Lung Diseases
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): To our radio audience tuning
in to our program right now, I would like to ask: IS THERE
A CONNECTION BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND
LUNG DISEASES? This question and other related
questions will be answered by our Resource Speaker. He
is one of the Top Pulmonologists in the Philippines and he
is DR BRYAN CEPEDOZA! Good afternoon, Dr. Bryan!
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza (Dr. Bryan): Good afternoon
Ma’am Ardy and good afternoon to our radio listeners.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): How are you, Dr. Bryan? I
understand that you are the President of the the Philippine
College of Physicians (PCP), Bohol Chapter. Any news
from the group?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza (Dr. Bryan): Everything is okay.
We are just waiting for the Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA) between the PCP and one island here in the
province for us to conduct free medical consultation in the
said island. We plan to offer our services to the residents
of the island and prescribe medicines as well as give them
medicines based on our prescriptions.
The Bohol Tribune: May we know which island is this,
Dr. Bryan?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: This is the island of Cabilao in
Loon, Bohol.
The Bohol Tribune: This is a very laudable move that
you will be doing. Just imagine, our own doctors will be the
ones to go to the island and offer their services for free
aside from giving free medicines to the residents? Who
are these doctors, Dr. Bryan?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: These are the doctors who belong
to the PCP and they are all internists.
The Bohol Tribune: Approximately, how many PCP
members do you have?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: We are not less than fifty (50)
doctors belonging to the PCP.
The Bohol Tribune: May we know the date when the
free clinic will be held at Cabilao Island?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: If plans don’t miscarry, we want to
visit the place early week of December this year.
The Bohol Tribune: That sounds exciting, Dr. Bryan.
Your presence will be a Christmas present to the people in
the area. Rest assured that our program here at DYTR as
well as our newspaper, The Bohol Tribune, will give you
full support for your project. By the way, Dr. Bryan, your
column last week spoke about climate change and its
impact on lung illnesses. Is there really a connection
between climate change and lung illnesses?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: Yes, there is. Climate change has a
lot of impact on our lung function. And this is all over the
world. Like for example, the increase in the cases of
asthma that we have now is an effect of climate change.
This is one of the effects of climate change. Climate
Change can cause global warming and global warming will
expose the impurities in the air. It would be okay for the
Ozone layers on top to absorb the ultra violet rays of the
sun; but the ozone below the ground can cause lung
inflammation. And if a person is asthmatic, the
inflammation of the airways will be triggered causing an
asthma attack. That is also common to those who are
heavy smokers.
The Bohol Tribune: I see. In your write up last week, you
said that the spikes in the ground level ozone are linked to
cases of lung problems. In relation to this, please
elaborate how asthma is affected by climate change?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: We have to realize that higher
temperatures that come with climate change also promote
more ground-level ozone pollution. Ozone is a powerful
lung irritant and can trigger asthma attacks. So, as the
climate warms, the pollen season is getting longer, which
can trigger asthma attacks in those people whose asthma
can be triggered by allergies.
The Bohol Tribune: Here is another question from a
listener, Dr. Bryan. “I had bronchoconstriction one time
and the doctor prescribed me a medication for it. However,
after I took the medication, I felt I had some tremors. What
was the reason for the tremors?” (To be continued)