High Humidity Tough on Asthmatics
 

http://respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com/2010/07/high-humidity-tough-on-lung-patients.html


Very interesting article re high humidity as it pertains to asthmatics and/or those with other lung conditions.


We've had very high humidity up north for a week now, along with rain/showers....


Will be glad when it dries out again this weekend......three perfect days to look forward to, along with low humidity / high barometer over Father's Day weekend......plus looking forward to visit from the grand children.

So is smoking.

The children we know in Vermont who have been experiencing distress from the high humidity do not smoke.

One good thing......if you don't like the weather up here, this too shall pass. But, it is hard to watch little ones struggle for breath.

Or any age for that matter. C.O.P.D. patients also have difficulty in high humidity. My heart goes out to all of them, whether or not they smoked when younger.

I suffered from childhood asthma from age 9 to about age 12 or 13. Then in middle school I started smoking one or two cigarettes per day, gradually working my way up to a 1/2 pack by high school. Eventually, I smoked one pack per day until I was 29. For me, smoking never triggered an asthma attack. But I'm sure it might do that for some people.

Last night I went for a walk in The Villages and the air was very humid. It didn't trigger asthma but I could definitely feel the difference. It puts a drag on physical performance.

You are certainly right
 

It certainly does.......

In addition to those with bronchitis, asthma, C.O.P.D. and other lung/breathing issues, high humidity (no matter which state one resides in) is not good for those with vascular disease, circulatory problems or heart disease in general..........(it also makes the joint pain of arthritis "feel" worse, even the temporary Vermont high humidity; thankfully it is supposed to dry out today for the weekend......after a long week of rain/high humidity; murkiness/dampness/soupiness.........no matter what one calls it, humidity does take a toll on the body. Everyone has been griping about it.........whereas when the barometer is HIGH and the humidity is LOW.....those are the very perfect weather days when everyone feels GREAT........and going for a hike is a pleasure.

FROM: WEB MD

""High humidity may be deadly for elderly at risk for heart attacks.

A new Greek study shows that changes in humidity, as well as temperature, can influence heart attack death rates among the elderly -- even in relatively mild climates.

Although the relationship between extreme cold and heat and increased heart attacks has been shown in prior studies, researchers say this is the first study to link high humidity to the risk.
Humidity-Heart Link?
In the study, published in the journal Heart, researchers analyzed all heart attack-related deaths reported in Athens during the year 2001, then compared them against daily weather information.

The researchers found sharp seasonal variations in the timing of heart attack deaths, with the proportion of deaths a third higher in winter than in summer. Nearly all of those additional deaths were among people aged 70 and over.

Researchers found that the number of daily heart attack deaths decreased as the average daily temperature increased up to about 74 degrees Fahrenheit. Beyond 74 degrees Fahrenheit, heart attack deaths began to increase along with the temperature.

Short-term cold or heat spells didn’t have as much impact. The study showed average daily temperature over the past week was a much better predictor of heart attack deaths than the average temperature of a single day.

Then, when researchers compared monthly heart attack death rates with weather information, they found that average monthly relative humidity was associated with total heart attack deaths. The number of heart attack deaths increased as average monthly relative humidity rose. In this Athens study, the most humid month was December; the driest was August.

Researchers say the biological link between high monthly humidity and heart attack risk is unclear and requires further research.

But the results suggest vigilant efforts are needed to protect the elderly during periods of extreme temperatures and high humidity.""

(This is why it is recommended those with health issues stay in airconditioning.......)


　




　


　

That's good to know, Senior, so people can be cautious.

I just thought of something else and did a quick search to confirm it. Density of air varies with temperature, so cold air is more dense, weighs more, and contains more oxygen.

Summer weather is usually hot, so the air is less dense, weighs less, and contains less oxygen. And because it rains a lot more, the air is often humid as well.