How to keep your lungs healthy and prevent respiratory diseases?

03:09 PM

The mortality rate for children in this age group is 3.35 per 100,000 children. The lungs are the organs responsible for delivering oxygen to the blood. Its mechanism: when a person inhales air, The lungs retain it, and the oxygen from the air then passes into the bloodstream. They are furry, pink-grey in color and located on the chest.

In addition to inhaling, they are also able to exhale carbon dioxide, a waste gas that leaves the bloodstream.This whole process is called gas exchange According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, it is essential for life.

They are the center of the respiratory system, which also includes the trachea, chest wall and diaphragm, blood vessels and other tissues. This system makes breathing possible.

Since they are vital organs of life, it is important to protect them from damage to prevent disease or health conditions. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), chronic respiratory diseases are one of the leading causes of death and disability in the Americas.

In Colombia, the most common form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with exposure to tobacco or wood smoke has a prevalence of 8.9% and a fatality rate of 8.9%, according to María José Fernandez, a physician and pulmonologist at the Pontifical University of Javeriana. It is very high and is the second leading cause of death in Colombia.

Another frequently diagnosed but less fatal disease is asthma, with a prevalence of 12%. Every year, 250,000 people worldwide die from asthma. According to Dr. Maria Jose.

so are they acute respiratory disease Primary diagnosis is children Common cold, flu, pneumonia and asthma. According to data collected by the National Institutes of Health as of August 5, 328 probable deaths have been recorded Due to acute respiratory infections in children under five years of age.

Keep your lungs healthy

Due to the increase in respiratory diseases and considering that September 25th is World Lung Day (the vital organ that allows us to breathe), physicians and pulmonologists give EL COLOMBIANO Some tips for keeping your lungs healthy.

The first thing to remember is that lung health starts when humans are in the womb.

“Respiratory health starts with pregnancy. Everything a pregnant woman is exposed to, such as pollution, wood smoke, cigarette smoke (even if she is a passive smoker), and certain medications taken during this stage; this can all cause Lung function is not developed enough”,

Internists and pulmonologists explain.

He added that during childhood, as we grow, “everything that you’re exposed to, the number of respiratory infections that a child gets, everything that he breathes in affects respiratory function,” he continued.

Clarify that the lungs are not designed to inhale harmful particles, e.g. particulates (Solid and liquid particles emitted directly into the air, such as diesel soot, road dust, agricultural dust). “We were not designed to live with this level of pollution.”

That’s why pulmonologists recommend that people avoid living near horse-drawn carriages or roads where many vehicles circulate, as they may be more susceptible to disease.

“Changing vehicle fuels, using electric vehicles, encouraging bicycle use, all of these can help reduce respiratory illnesses caused by pollution,” he said.

Other tips for keeping your lungs healthy include eating healthily, exercising, not smoking traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes or e-cigarettes, avoiding exposure to harmful particles from pollution or wood smoke, and if you are involved in activities such as mining, construction, painting, etc. Personal protective equipment such as masks should be used.

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Additionally, to protect the lungs from harm caused by respiratory diseases, there have been calls for vaccinations against several of these infections. “Long-term respiratory illness takes a toll,” he explains.

Finally, when symptoms occur, early consultation should be conducted to assess the situation and implement appropriate interventions.

Symptoms of respiratory illness

Pulmonologists say there are more than 500 types of respiratory diseases. But there’s a problem: they all look the same. To find out which one it is, you should see your doctor.

The most common symptoms are: feeling of suffocation or shortness of breath during activities, dry cough or cough with clear or colored phlegm, chest tightness, and a whistling feeling in the chest.