Smog may cause pneumonia, ARDS, fatal forms of RTI

Islamabad:After reports of worsening of the air quality and the smog in the air here in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, apart from seasonal ailments, more fatal forms of respiratory tract infections including pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may hit the population hard in the region.

Data collected by ‘The News’ has revealed that the number of patients being reported with serious respiratory tract infections is already on the rise in the twin cities while the healthcare facilities have started receiving patients with pneumonia and ARDS. It is important that pneumonia and ARDS claim not less than 100 lives in the region every year from October to December.

According to health experts, the situation this year would be more alarming due to the quality of air getting poorer with the passage of time. The smog being reported in the air in this region of the country may cause tremendous losses if proper attention is not given to the problem by both the individuals and the concerned government authorities.

The situation is alarming mainly because the majority of our population do not take measures to avoid damages caused by the smog. In dry and cold weather conditions like the existing one, the atmosphere is filled with pollutants including dust and toxins and studies reveal that breathing in harmful substances including dense smoke and chemical fumes triggers ARDS.

Experts say that all patients with cough, fever, lethargy and thick viscid sputum for over three days should undergo a chest X RAY to avoid complications of the infections they have contracted. The most fatal and dangerous complication of pneumonia is ARDS, a condition that develops rapidly in which a patient with chest infection can not maintain oxygenation level due to lungs’ dysfunction. The accumulation of fluid and secretions in airspaces impair the transfer of oxygen to blood.

It has been observed in the past that the delay in reporting by the majority of patients of ARDS to the hospitals causes greater damages. Also, at the time, an outbreak of flu is expected due to smog in the air and cold weather.

Studies reveal that the ARDS patient has severe air hunger and suffocation that abruptly starts within a few hours and progresses rapidly. Both lungs are filled with fluid that clogs the airways drowning patients in their own secretions. The only way to minimize losses by the ARDS is high index of suspicion, early diagnosis and immediate treatment in an ICU. Studies reveal that the ARDS patient needs ICU care for at least four weeks afterwards recovery starts and complete cure takes three to six months generally.

It has been observed that the mortality after developing ARDS ranges from 90 to 100 per cent in non-ventilated patients in Pakistan. The cause of death in the majority of cases is late presentation to the ICU while it has been found that most of the patients who die of the ARDS were those suffering from asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and diabetes along with critical complications.

It is worth mentioning that ARDS initially starts with lung failure but involves other organs including heart, liver, kidneys and brain by doing hypoxic ischemic damage in the body. Experts say that people must follow preventive measures including wearing masks and avoiding spending time outdoors to safeguard themselves from the bad effects of smog.