Every 24 hours, 10,000 liters of air are breathed into the lungs. This means that on a daily basis, we are exposed to large amounts of suspended particulate matter, noxious gasses, aeroallergens, and microbes that have the potential to cause disease. Changes in the immune system of elderly individuals (>65 years) coupled with aging-related physiologic changes of the respiratory system make this population more vulnerable to these dangers from the environment. While the protective mechanisms of the lungs are highly effective on most days, on very high pollution days, there are more hospital admissions in the elderly population for conditions such as pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma exacerbations, and coronary artery disease.
from Clinics in Geriatric Medicine http://ift.tt/2xmFSSe
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