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Bengaluru Doctors: Air Pollution is the New Tobacco
26 Oct
Summary
- Doctors are treating air pollution like tobacco, linking it to lung, heart, and brain diseases.
- Assessing pollution exposure now includes commute times and proximity to construction sites.
- Air pollution is a silent killer, linked to cardiovascular issues and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Doctors in Bengaluru are increasingly integrating assessments of air pollution exposure into their medical evaluations, treating it as a significant health risk comparable to tobacco. This shift involves detailed inquiries into patients' daily commutes, residential areas, and proximity to pollution sources like construction sites.
Pulmonologists and cardiologists emphasize that air pollution acts as a silent killer, contributing to a range of serious conditions. These include respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, and even adverse pregnancy outcomes. Experts are advocating for lung function tests to be a standard part of preventive health check-ups to detect early signs of pollution-related damage.