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.

Antibiotic-resistance and the need to revise lung treatment strategies

The proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is feared to be an event that might plague the 21st century if the problem is not addressed now. Desmond Heng Wen Chien of the A-Star Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences forewarns that antimicrobial resistance could be the leading cause of death by 2050 if proliferation cannot be stemmed.

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These superbugs have increased the mortality rate of respiratory infections to as high as 80 percent in some clinics. A study of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria that causes lung infection, found that the bacteria has enhanced fitness and can survive in a host even with an onslaught of various antibiotics.

Awareness among the public is key to mitigate the indiscriminate consumption of antibiotics. Physicians should communicate to their patients that for non-fatal respiratory infections such as the common cold and cough, the illness often resolves over time without medication. Doctors recommend taking vaccines for common respiratory illnesses to defend against infections and their subsequent need for treatment.

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Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon is an internist based in New Jersey specializing in pulmonology, sleep medicine, and critical care. For more blogs on respiratory health, follow this link.