The Impact of Global Warming and Air Pollution on Patient Visits in the Emergency Department

The health effects of air pollution include increases in Air pollution on Pdient visits in &be 1 severity and incidence of asthma. exacerbation of COPD. increase California faces both increasing air temperatures as well as air pollution. This conclusion is being drawn by many non-scientists who simply observe daily atmospheric conditions: more hot days exist in many areas of California and many of the days have increasing levels of air pollution People comment that record low temperatures occurred in the Central Valley region of California in the late 1800s and in the early 1930s. The record high temperatures have only occurred within the last ten years. And while personal observations may be considered "anecdotal." a huge mounting body of scientific evidence also reaches the same conclusion: air pollution problems and global warming will effect the weather and health of all the inhabitants of this earth. Pollution is no longer limited to urban areas as recent reports show increasing air pollution in rural United States and deterioration in air quality in many previously pristine areas such as Yosemite, Big Bend National Park. and the Grand Canyon.' In fact, air pollution from China adds additional poison to California air.' In addition to the obvious effects on their personal lives, the professional practice of emcrgency medicine has and will continue to be effected by changes in the earth.s air and atmosphere. Air Pollution Air pollution has been a major topic of western scientists since the 1950s. The original description of smog occurred as a result of thick smoke and fog in London combing to form toxic gases and substances that resulted in numerous acute deaths. in the United States most of the air pollution that we refer to is actually photochemical in nature. One of the most significant and serious components of air pollution are nitrogen oxide compounds. In California, most nitrogen oxides are emitted from gasoline powered autos and Diesel trucks. These compounds undergoing photochemical reaction to create ozone (0,).3 Conversion occurs in direct sunlight, and the process is accelerated by increasing air temperature. Ozone, as an unstable radical, human tissue. most obviously the lung and upper airways. In addition to ozone , numerous other toxic chemicals are formed including volatile organic compounds and photochemical oxidants. Many of the volatile organic compounds are highly toxic including peroxyacetyl nitrite, tetrachloroethene, and nitrofluoranthene. In addition to these free chemical compounds, particulate matter less than …