downtoearth-subscribe

The wheeze squeeze

The wheeze squeeze vehicles spewing forth noxious fumes are the bane of even the fittest amongst us, but for asthmatics, they are an open invitation to disaster. Recent reports from across the globe suggest that while cases of asthma are on the rise, individuals suffering from the ailment are keeping a watchful eye on air pollution, one of the principal factors which tend to aggravate the troublesome symptoms.

According to estimates, one in seven children is afflicted by asthma in the uk . In London, parents of asthmatics reacted angrily recently when a High Court ruling turned down their plea to ban traffic from a busy road during periods of high air pollution. In Australia and New Zealand, 15-20 per cent of school children are asthmatic. In the us , the Atlanta-based Centre for Disease Control and Prevention ( cdc ) says that asthma cases and deaths have soared at least 40 per cent since 1982; today, five per cent of the total population, or over 10 million people, are suffering from it.
All in the air? The symptoms of asthma