How air pollution harms the lungs, heart and brain

Air pollution is not just an environmental issue; it can seriously affect human health. The very fine particles known as PM2.5 can pass the natural defences of the nose and upper airway, settle in the tiny air sacs of the lungs and enter the bloodstream, from where they can damage other organs, chest specialists explain.

In the lungs, pollution can cause severe airway inflammation, tightening of the airways, breathlessness and wheezing. For people who already have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, attacks can become more frequent and more severe. In the heart and circulatory system, pollution can alter heart rhythm and blood pressure, raise oxidative stress in blood vessels and increase the risk of clot formation. Body-wide inflammation and impaired blood-vessel function also raise the risk of stroke.

Over the long term, PM2.5 is recognised as a leading environmental risk factor for lung cancer; smoking is not its only cause. People repeatedly exposed to pollution may develop a persistent phlegmy cough, reduced exercise tolerance, frequent respiratory infections and gradually worsening breathlessness. When pollution combines with biomass fuel smoke or dust exposure at work, hospital admissions among chronic lung patients can rise.

Short-term exposure does not permanently damage everyone's lungs: mild inflammation and irritation are usually temporary and improve once exposure stops. But once scarring of lung tissue sets in, it can lead to further harm.

Treatment can include airway-opening medicines, oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation, matched to severity. Doctors caution against self-medicating with antibiotics, steroids or nebulisation as a precaution; treatment should follow symptoms and medical evaluation. Anyone whose breathlessness suddenly worsens should go to the nearest hospital without delay.