The elderly are the most vulnerable to the smoke of fires

The Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (Sepa) alerts the population about health risks associated with smoke exposure and remember that the most vulnerable groups are the Children, older people, pregnant women and patients with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases.

Thus, society shows its concern about forest fires that are causing the highest carbon emissions registered in Spain since at least 2003, placing the country in a “especially serious” situation.

Fire smoke contains fine particles (PM2.5), irritating gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, as well as others Toxic substances. Exposure to these pollutants can cause acute effects ranging from ocular, nasal and throat irritation, coughing or difficulty breathing, asthma crisis, severe bronchospasms, respiratory infections or decompensations in patients with chronic respiratory disease.

In addition, it has been proven that in vulnerable people it can increase cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. Even individuals without previous pathologies may experience decreased lung function or chest pain as a result of contact with smoke.

Children constitute a group of special risk because their respiratory system is still immature and, when breathing more air per kilo of weight than adults, they proportionally inhale a greater amount of pollutants. In the case of older peopleits immune and respiratory system is more weakenedwhich hinders the ability to respond in the face of the aggression of the particles and gases present in the smoke. On the other hand, in pregnant women exposure to smoke has been associated with a higher risk of preterm delivery and that the baby is born with low weight, which reinforces the need to extreme prevention in this group.

“We want to insist that prevention is fundamental: avoiding smoke exposure whenever possible and following protection measures can make a difference, especially in the most vulnerable groups,” explains the expert pneumologist in environmental pneumology and member of Sep, Dr. Javier de Miguel.

Recommendations to separate smoke exposure

Among the main recommendations of separation is to remain indoors with closed windows and doors To reduce the exposure, use air filtration systems such as air conditioning in recirculation mode or purifiers with HEPA filters and, in case of having to go outside, use masks N95 or FFP2, since surgical do not filter the finest particles. However, even these masks “do not guarantee total protection against smoke, so it is essential to extreme precautions.”

It is also recommended Maintain adequate hydration To protect the airways and avoid outdoor physical activity, since the effort increases the inhalation of pollutants. This must be maintained even during the days after the extinction of the fires, since the suspended particles remain in the air and continue to represent a health risk.

For people with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, separation recommends Do not suspend medication under any circumstances Base, always keep rescue medication, such as salbutamol inhalers, and closely monitor the appearance of symptoms such as cough, wheezing or respiratory distress. When indicated, it is useful to perform controls with the maximum expiratory flow meter. Also, they advise to avoid displacements to areas with smoke and, if necessary, go to evacuation centers prepared with air filtration systems.

As for acting against symptoms derived from the exposure, specialists remember that, in mild cases, such as cough, ocular or throat irritation, it is enough to get away from the contaminated area, rest in a clean environment and stay hydrated. If the symptoms are moderate, such as mild dyspnea, wheezing or light chest pain, rescue medication should be used in case of prescribed and consult as soon as possible at a health service. On the contrary, in severe cases, with intense difficulty to breathe, thoracic oppression, bluish confusion or coloration on lips and skin, it is essential to go immediately to an emergency service or call emergencies.