Patients, seniors hit by deterioration in air quality

Chennai: Patients at various government hospitals in the city were affected due to high pollution levels on Saturday thanks to clothes, paper and other waste being burnt to celebrate Bhogi.

Many complained of asthma, high blood pressure, allergy, and bronchitis. At the Institute of Thoracic Medicine in Tambaram, Institute of Child Health and Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, pollutants caused difficulty in breathing, chronic coughing and other pulmonary problems arising from allergy and exacerbation typical of worsening asthma symptoms in patients with respiratory issues.

Medicos said that the high level of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) mixed with smog makes breathing difficult. “Patients affected the most were those who were already suffering from asthma; heart diseases, chronic bronchitis and lung infections. These patients suffered from exacerbations due to an increase in pollutants in the surroundings,” said Dr V Ranjith, pulmonologist, Institute of Thoracic Medicine.

“Sunlight helps to prevent the exacerbations. But due to lack of enough sunlight in the early hours of the day, patients found it difficult to breathe,” he added.
Infants and older people were the most affected by the deterioration in air quality. Infants at Institute of Child Health (ICH) complained of eye irritation, wheezing, cough and cold and skin infections. Hospital authorities at Egmore eye hospital said that many patients complained of eye irritation, watering and discomfort throughout the day.

“While smog clears eventually, patients continue to suffer as the pollutants remain.Older patients suffer from breathlessness mostly due to weather, mainly in cardiac patients,” said Dr P Vasanthamani, Dean, Kilpauk Medical College.