Air pollution may harm your kidney, be careful
New Delhi : It is known to all that air increases the risk of respiratory problems, organ inflammation, diabetes and other life-threatening conditions. And, now a new research suggests that air pollution can be threat to people suffering from chronic kidney disease, or CKD, in which kidneys become damaged or cannot filter blood properly.
A study with findings published in PLOS ONE, a publication University of Michigan, claims a positive association between CKD rates and PM2.5 which are microscopic particles found in the polluted air."Similar to smoking, air pollution contains harmful toxins that can directly affect the kidneys," says Jennifer Bragg-Gresham, M.S., Ph.D., a Michigan Medicine epidemiologist and the study's lead author.
Study co-author Rajiv Saran, MD, a Michigan Medicine nephrologist and director of the United States Renal Data System Coordinating Center says "If you look at areas that are heavily polluted versus areas that are less polluted, you will find more chronic kidney disease."
Kidneys have a large volume of blood flowing through them, and if anything harms the circulatory system, the kidneys will be the first to sense those effects. Also, it has been observed that people with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure or heart disease are at increased risk of developing CKD. Which is why high-risk patients who live in heavily populated or polluted areas should recognize the danger and take precautions, Bragg-Gresham says.
What is PM2.5 in air pollution?
PM2.5 are fine particles which are virtually weightless, they can stay in the air longer, causing humans to unavoidably inhale them on a regular basis without knowing it. PM2.5 can lead to serious health effects when inhaled often. After reviewing the data mentioned by Medicare and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, study authors came up with the conclusion that there is a strong connection between CKD rates and PM 2.5 concentrations.
"In heavily polluted areas, consider wearing masks that cover your nose and mouth, limit hours outside and limit long hours commuting to work in high traffic as well," Saran says, adding that the risk should be taken seriously.
"Many people don't see the seriousness of air pollution because it isn't something visible, but that doesn't mean it's any less important for your health."
Therefore, it is important to take precautions when exposed to air pollution, especially for people who have certain health problems or who live in highly populated or polluted cities.
