DR. BRYAN CEPEDOZA
MEDICAL INSIDER
A Question & Answer Session
with Dr. Bryan Cepedoza
on Climate Change and Lung Diseases
(Part 7)
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): So we can say that climate
change is a big factor that can affect lung illnesses, Dr.
Bryan
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: Definitely! As I said, air pollution
and allergens are the main exposures that affect the
health of our lungs and heart. Climate change increases
the levels of particulate matter and the more we’re
exposed to particulate matter, the higher our risk for lung
and heart problems will be.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): So, our lung health is also
affected by the environment, right?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: Yes! If there are higher levels of
pollution in our environment, there will also be increased
symptoms for lung diseases. If these happen, there will be
more patients in hospitals – patients with diseases of the
lungs such as as asthma and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD). Those with asthma, I remind
you again that higher temperatures caused by climate
change will lead to more ground-level ozone pollution.
This ozone is lung irritant which could trigger asthma
attacks in children and adults.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): Is this condition the same all
throughout the world, Dr. Bryan? I mean the change of the
climate contributing to diseases?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: Anywhere you go out into the
world, climate change is causing “milder winters, warmer
summers, and fewer frost days”. And I have read that this
change in climate makes it easier for carriers of infectious
diseases to spread and expand into new areas causing
more people to get infected. Moreover, climate change
will also the air less healthy to breathe since higher
temperatures, as I said earlier, will lead to an increase in
allergens and harmful air pollutants.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): Aside from climate change,
what are the other factors in our environment that may
cause lung illnesses?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: Okay. The 2 biggest threats to lung
illnesses, aside from climate change, are the smoke from
cigarettes and the pollutants in the air. Others would
include bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. Let us
remember that pollution can be found almost anywhere
but more popularly, pollution is found outdoors: from
emissions caused by industrial firms, from the exhaust of
our vehicles, and from indoors, too. (To be continued)