Once again, it is that time of the year when Delhi-NCR breathes toxic air. The worsening air pollution in the region has intensified a range of symptoms, including cough attacks, breathlessness, congestion, persistent headaches, fatigue, and more.
People who are already suffering from lung-related illnesses, asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are witnessing worsening symptoms followed by increased requirements of medicines and inhalation.
For the third consecutive day, Delhi’s air quality remained in the “poor” category on October 25, and monitoring agencies predict that a significant improvement is unlikely in the coming days.
With no relief in sight from the air pollution – as stubble burning continues in parts of Punjab and Haryana – people at risk have already begun lining up at hospital outpatient departments (OPDs) and emergency units.
Top pulmonologists and experts dealing with these patients told News18 that they are noticing a “definite upswing” in the number of people coming in emergency departments or OPDs with worsened symptoms or respiratory distress. They also said that people are taking much longer to respond to medications.
“We are witnessing an alarming rise in patients battling asthma and COPD which is exacerbated by the lethal combination of increasing air pollution and incoming winter,” Dr Navneet Sood, senior consultant of pulmonology at New Delhi-based Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, told News18.
Sood said that in the past 15 days, his department has recorded an around 15 per cent surge in such cases in his OPD. “Some severe patients also got admitted,” he said.
New Delhi-based Holy Family Hospital has also started seeing admissions in the institute and intensive care unit already. “We have admitted patients related to exacerbation of respiratory illnesses like asthma, COPD, and also a few ILD (interstitial lung disease),” said Dr Sumit Ray, medical director at Holy Family Hospital.
Patients not responding to drugs immediately
Similarly, Dr Arjun Khanna, head of the department of pulmonary medicine at NCR-based Amrita Hospital in Faridabad, told News18, “People who were doing well on their ongoing medications are also coming back with complaints of worsening or increase of symptoms.”
Khanna said that the requirement for inhaler doses or medications has gone up suddenly for those patients.
While this recurring event of deteriorating air quality starting from the month of October has almost become an annual norm, Dr Rajesh Chawla from Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in Delhi expects this worrying trend to be more pronounced this year.
“I have observed a greater presence of haze in the air quite early this year, indicating the potential for significantly higher pollution levels in the days ahead,” said Chawla, who is a senior consultant of pulmonology and critical care. “We have been seeing a cough that doesn’t respond to medications easily and immediately…bronchodilators are being prescribed to manage the symptoms and still, patients are taking longer than usual to show relief.”
Who should protect themselves and how
The insidious nature of air pollution infiltrates our lungs, causing inflammation and chronic damage, while the cold, dry winter air intensifies the suffering.
According to experts, both adults and children are vulnerable to these problems due to overexposure to pollution. “However, the elderly and vulnerable people need extra precautions such as avoiding the outside when pollution levels are high,” Sood said.
Doctors also suggested that as a precaution, the elderly should wear good-quality masks and avoid unnecessary movements when the air quality is terrible.
Additionally, it’s recommended to refrain from exercising in the early morning. Doctors emphasised the importance of asthma patients carrying a reliable inhaler with them at all times.
Patients with chronic conditions visit doctors for regular follow-ups, but the challenge lies with new cases, as experts believe that they tend to seek medical attention when their condition has already worsened. Therefore, in addition to treatment, they strongly underscore the importance of preventive measures.
Chawla of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital highlighted the need for a robust government policy to address this issue effectively. “Air pollution will cause immediate symptoms only among those who have existing medical issues. Others will feel fatigue, headache, dizziness, burning sensation in eyes, and other symptoms,” he said. “However, in the long term, this could lead to grave conditions such as lung and breast cancer as proven by several studies in the past. Hence, we need to solve the issue instead of finding temporary solutions year on year.”