Everything you need to know about air purifiers

 

In the quest to breathe virus-free air, people have been investing in air purifiers that claim to clean the air through an intricate process. These technological wonders have found their way into homes, hospitals, and business establishments. Dr. Lisa M. Cannon shares in this blog post a few facts about air purifiers.

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Air purifiers work. Although there is no guarantee that they will kill bacteria or neutralize every single aggravating particle in one's home, air purifiers can sanitize the air that might include allergens, toxins, and pollutants, unlike air filters. The effectiveness of an air purifier depends on its kind. It can be enticing to invest in a quality air purifier for its promise of eliminating particles such as pet dander, smoke, pollen, and dust.

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When choosing an air purifier, some considerations are the flow rate, location, and duration of use in a particular place. Generally, laboratory conditions are more contained; thus, the guarantee of an air purifier being 99% effective may not be true in some cases. Ventilation affects an air purifier's efficacy as different particles could be sitting on surfaces longer when windows are closed, or new particles are let in when windows are opened.

The ideal kind of air purifier would have to be one that has a HEPA or high-efficiency particulate air filter. This type of air purifier can combat environmental air qualities found in homes near smoky or dusty areas, notes Dr. Lisa M. Cannon. However, there is little medical evidence that air purifiers can alleviate allergies or address respiratory issues as a result of the fact that it is a challenge to differentiate the outcomes of genetic and environmental factors from the results of known air quality pollutants.

Dr. Lisa M. Cannon is a board-certified physician who specializes in pulmonary disease, internal medicine, and critical care. She completed her Master’s in Public Health from NYU Wagner School of Public Service. Head over to this page for similar updates.

The end stage: What is stage IV COPD?

Talking about “the end” when suffering from a disease may connote both positive and negative vibes. Positive when the end means the disease has been obliterated completely and negative when it means that the condition has reached its peak, and all hope for cure is futile. How the word is perceived in terms of medical implications vary, but what does it mean in cases of COPD?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is described as "inflammatory lung disease affecting the airflow from the lungs." It has four stages –mild COPD, moderate COPD, severe COPD, and very severe COPD, which is also known as the end stage.

                                                             
                                                        Image Source: Timeinc.net

Very severe COPD is the fourth stage of the disease. Respiratory failure caused by either low blood oxygen or high carbon dioxide levels and signs of heart failure exist during this stage. This is regarded as the end stage because exacerbations may occur at least three times within the year, leading to the overall health of the patient becoming highly at risk.

Because of the various complications that occur during stage IV COPD, it is said that people die "with" their disease and not from it. Researches show that COPD is not the primary cause of the death, but other medical conditions that a patient also acquires while battling COPD. Lung cancer and heart failure are the usual medical conditions that cause death, and not COPD itself.

                                                         
                                                             Image source: Temple.edu

Studies also show that the condition of COPD may still improve even after reaching the end stage with the help of bronchodilators and corticosteroids. Continuing with proper health care, quitting smoking, and avoiding lung irritants will also greatly help in dealing with the end stage.

 Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon specializes in pulmonary diseases and critical care. For more articles about pulmonary diseases, visit this blog.