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 arrhythmias 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.