Chennai: Greenhouse gases not just lead to global warming but are the reasons behind major health concerns to humans today.
It is not that only environmental factors affected by warming of earth needs attention, but humans have to focus on medical perspectives also, say medicos.
A recent study by medical journal the Lancet reveals that a loss of more than one crore life-years due to greenhouse gases and poor air quality. The study emphasizes that an 80 per cent cut in greenhouse gases will subsequently reduce air pollution and thereby reduces the risk of coronary artery diseases and cancer.
The study was based us four different scenarios to model the effects of fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ozone to predict the health and economic impacts from air pollution for the scenarios until 2050.
The research revealed that if nitrogen dioxide concentrations and other greenhouse gases decline, nearly 50 lakh life-years saved, especially in the vulnerable population of children and elderly. The study also shows a reduction in air pollution provided that the emission of greenhouse gases is reduced.
Medicos say that various heat-related deaths and allergy exacerbation are a cause of severe cases of asthma, pulmonary diseases and their deposition in lungs can be life threatening to a portion of the population.
“The levels of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) has increased in the air due to increased levels of pollution, which penetrates into lungs and makes breathing difficult.
Patients affected the most were those who were already suffering from asthma, heart diseases, chronic bronchitis, and even lung infections. The sharp deterioration in air quality putspediatrics and elderly at utmost risk who suffer from exacerbations due to an increase in the pollutants in the surroundings,” said pulmonologist Dr S Jayaraman.
Medicos say that said that the cities of our country are already witnessing a spike in the number of patients with deteriorated health conditions related to pollution, or illnesses exacerbated by poor air quality.
