Clean air is essential for sustaining life, and its quality significantly impacts our health and well-being. A decade ago, research found a correlation between cardiac arrest incidence and ozone levels. Subsequently, the results translate to the influence of bad air quality, causing respiratory and cardiac failure.
In this context, CPR becomes vital when someone loses their breath due to respiratory failure. As a life-saving technique, CPR is performed to restore blood circulation and oxygenate the blood.
This article elaborates on the correlation between air quality and CPR relevance, focusing on cardiac arrest events in El Paso, Texas.
Air Pollution Shortens the Lifespan of Cardiac Patients
Breathing in air pollutants can irritate your airways and cause shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, asthma episodes, and chest pain. Exposure to air pollution puts you at risk for lung cancer, heart attacks, stroke, and, in extreme cases, premature death.
When inhaling polluted air, a person might suffer respiratory and cardiovascular issues, as well as further complicate pre-existing heart conditions. According to the AHA (American Heart Association), air pollution can significantly impact the longevity of heart patients. Air pollution affects people with heart conditions, making their symptoms more prominent and increasing the risk of cardiovascular events.
Here’s a more extensive look at the connection between air pollutants and worsened health:
- Expanded risk of cardiovascular issues: When exposed to polluted air, especially pollutants like PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), people fall at greater risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular issues. The dangerous components of air pollution can quickly enter the bloodstream through the lungs, triggering inflammation, oxidative stress, and blood vessel dysfunction.
- Aggravation of existing heart conditions: Air pollution can worsen symptoms in individuals with pre-existing heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and arrhythmias. Polluted air can cause chest pain (angina), irregular heart rhythms, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Even short-term exposure to high levels of air pollution can lead to hospital admissions and emergency room visits for heart-related issues.
- Impaired heart function: Long-term exposure to polluted air is closely related to cardiac conditions. Poor air can cause the heart muscle to thicken, impede heart rate variability, and significantly reduce cardiac output. In other words, these cardiac health changes burden the heart and contribute to the progression of heart illnesses.
Impact on Vulnerable Populations
The elderly are one of the demographics who are at greatest risk of suffering the consequences of polluted air. In the event of cardiac failure, CPR might not deliver the desired outcomes since this group of individuals is no longer in optimal health.
Furthermore, individuals with pre-existing heart conditions and those residing in highly polluted areas are also susceptible to the adverse effects of air pollution. These people mainly have compromised cardiovascular health, which means they are already in an unfavorable position to fend off the consequences of polluted air.
Additionally, long-term exposure to air pollution contributes to the incremental effects on heart health. One of the major considerations in managing the effects of air pollution on heart patients is to lessen the overall pollution levels. This is feasible by deploying stricter emission standards for vehicles and engines, promoting cleaner energy sources, and following eco-friendly urban planning strategies.
If incorporated, all of these measures will reduce the incidence of respiratory failure and cardiac issues, which will, in turn, boost the outcomes of CPR.
The Correlation Between Air Quality in El Paso and CPR
The relevance of CPR and air quality in El Paso lies in the potential impact of air pollution on the outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation interventions. Recognizing the impact of air quality on CPR is essential for healthcare providers and emergency responders.
Rescuers should be able to manage the air pollution effects during CPR by relocating victims to areas with cleaner air, using protective gear, and/or tweaking their techniques to minimize exposure to polluted air.
Luckily, there are ways to ensure cleaner air, such as reducing public air pollution sources and enforcing air quality regulations. By doing so, the public will be less exposed to polluted air, thus becoming less susceptible to respiratory or cardiac issues and not needing CPR. In other words, better air quality translates to better CPR success rates.
Oxygen Availability
CPR aims to restore blood circulation and oxygenation to vital organs, particularly the brain. However, air pollution can reduce the availability of oxygen in the surrounding air. Polluted air contains harmful particles and gases that can hinder the exchange of oxygen in the lungs, making it more challenging to deliver sufficient oxygen to the patient during CPR.
Respiratory Complications
A major downfall of air pollution is that it causes respiratory distress and compromises the vital function of the lungs. When performing CPR, rescue breaths are crucial for oxygenation. Yet, inhaling polluted air during rescue breaths may place harmful pollutants into the patient’s airway. This could aggravate the respiratory complications and impede effective resuscitation efforts.
Buying Time
When environmental factors have contributed to respiratory distress, CPR is a great tool to buy precious time until professional medical help arrives. Being able to do immediate CPR can help a victim keep their vitals functioning and prevent further organ damage.
Pre-existing Health Conditions
People who suffer from pre-existing cardiovascular or respiratory conditions are more prone to experiencing the damaging effects of air pollution. For example, if a person suffers from cardiac arrest in a place with rather poor air quality, their already compromised cardiovascular and respiratory systems will be even further compromised. Furthermore, this category of people is at risk of having minimal chances of surviving a resuscitation.
Environmental Context
The quality of the air in the immediate environment where CPR is being performed can influence outcomes. For instance, if CPR is administered in an indoor environment with poor ventilation and high levels of indoor air pollutants, it can affect the effectiveness of resuscitation efforts. Similarly, performing CPR outdoors in areas with high levels of air pollution may introduce additional challenges.
El Paso’s sunny weather and warm temperatures render the city likely to fall into ozone pollution, also known as smog. In addition, wildfire smoke is another contributor to air pollution in El Paso. The EPA proposed classifying El Paso as nonattainment for ozone, which means the city does not meet the national primary or secondary ambient air quality standard for an NAAQS.
CPR Courses in El Paso
Understanding the correlation between CPR and air quality is crucial for healthcare providers, policymakers, and individuals alike. By recognizing this connection, people can become more proactive and deploy certain measures to improve air quality and boost the outcomes of life-saving interventions like CPR.
In El Paso, you can find many reliable (and affordable) CPR courses to help you learn how to perform CPR. Whether you want to learn CPR for your own sake or are required to learn the skill as part of your employer’s workplace safety program, you won’t have much trouble finding a CPR course.
Once you determine how you want to take the class (online, in-person, or through a blended learning model), you can browse the internet for CPR classes in your area and find the one that works best for you. However, be mindful of accreditation, i.e., if the CPR training provider in El Paso is certified to offer the training. To make it easier, look for CPR courses accredited by either the AHA or the Red Cross; this ensures the CPR course teaches the latest resuscitation practices.
Final Words on Air Quality and CPR Relevance in El Paso
The quality of air we breathe affects many aspects of our lives. If you live in an area deemed highly polluted, like El Paso, then you probably understand the immense value of clean air.
Air pollution can exacerbate pre-existing health conditions that might otherwise benefit from cardiopulmonary resuscitation. CPR is not only the go-to technique for victims of cardiac arrest but also for those who have stopped breathing due to different reasons. Air pollution is one of the culprits behind respiratory failure, and CPR can help sustain the victim’s vitals until professionals arrive.
Learn how to perform CPR today so you can be fully confident in helping someone tomorrow.