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Apr 26, 2023

Why Inhaling Wildfire Smoke Can Harm Your Heart

Be in touch with your doctor. The American Lung Association advises people with

Be in touch with your doctor. The American Lung Association advises people with heart disease, lung disease and diabetes to talk to their doctor about any changes in medications that may be needed to help them cope with smoke.

If you need to go out, mask up. One helpful tool that many people have on hand from the pandemic is an N95 mask or similar respirator. Cloth and paper masks won't cut it when it comes to wildfire smoke. Make sure your mask has a good seal. Take a deep breath in: If the masks collapses when you inhale, you’re good to go.

Use a portable air filter. Like masks, portable air filters became more popular during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We learned a lot of lessons from COVID," Basu says. One being: "The health of the air we breathe is critical to our health," he says.

The American Heart Association's 2020 scientific statement on air pollution exposure ranks portable air cleaners as one of the most effective ways to deal with air pollution. "Given their modest upfront cost ($50 to $200) and potential benefits in reducing cardiopulmonary outcomes, this measure has a high benefit for the cost," the American Heart Association's Sasson said.

In the market for one? O’Dell recommends checking the California EPA's website of certified air cleaners. You can also DIY one — called the Corsi-Rosenthal box — using a box fan, air filters and some duct tape.

Stay hydrated. "Maintaining adequate oral hydration by drinking water and other fluids is also important to preserve the function of cilia, the microscopic broomlike cells in the airways that help sweep out particulate contaminants inhaled from the environment," Clayton Cowl, M.D., a Mayo Clinic pulmonologist and clinical toxicologist, said in a news release.

Know the warning signs of heart attack and stroke. Symptoms of chest discomfort, shortness of breath, numbness on one side, sudden speech difficulty and weakness all warrant emergency attention. There are several other warning signs of a heart attack or stroke — get familiar with them and call 911 if you or anyone around you experiences them.

Rachel Nania writes about health care and health policy for AARP. Previously she was a reporter and editor for WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C. A recipient of a Gracie Award and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, she also participated in a dementia fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

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