Air pollution can make asthma

symptoms worse and trigger attacks.

If you or your child has asthma, have you

ever noticed symptoms get worse when

the air is polluted? Air pollution can make

it harder to breathe. It can also cause other

symptoms, like coughing, wheezing, chest

discomfort, and a burning feeling in the

lungs.

Two key air pollutants can affect asthma.

One is ozone (found in smog). The other is

particle pollution (found in haze, smoke, and

dust). When ozone and particle pollution

are in the air, adults and children with

asthma are more likely to have symptoms.

You can take steps to help protect

your health from air pollution.

_ Get to know how sensitive you are to air

pollution.

• Notice your asthma symptoms when you

are physically active. Do they happen

more often when the air is more polluted?

If so, you may be sensitive to air pollution.

• Also notice any asthma symptoms that

begin up to a day after you have been

outdoors in polluted air. Air pollution

can make you more sensitive to asthma

triggers, like mold and dust mites. If

you are more sensitive than usual to

indoor asthma triggers, it could be

due to air pollution outdoors.

_ Know when and where air pollution may

be bad.

• Ozone is often worst on hot summer

days, especially in the afternoons and

early evenings.

• Particle pollution can be bad any

time of year, even in winter. It can be

especially bad when the weather is calm,

allowing air pollution to build up.

Particle levels can also be high:

— Near busy roads, during rush hour,

and around factories.

— When there is smoke in the air from

wood stoves, fireplaces, or burning

vegetation.

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ASTHMA AND OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION

_ Plan activities when and where pollution

levels are lower. Regular exercise is

important for staying healthy, especially

for people with asthma. By adjusting when

and where you exercise, you can lead a

healthy lifestyle and help reduce your

asthma symptoms when the air is polluted.

In summer, plan your most vigorous

activities for the morning. Try to exercise

away from busy roads or industrial areas.

On hot, smoggy days when ozone levels

are high, think about exercising indoors.

_ Change your activity level. When the air

is polluted, try to take it easier if you are

active outdoors. This will reduce how

much pollution you breathe. Even if you

can’t change your schedule, you might be

able to change your activity so it is less

intense. For example, go for a walk

instead of a jog. Or, spend less time

on the activity. For example, jog for

20 minutes instead of 30.

_ Listen to your body. If you get asthma

symptoms when the air is polluted, stop your

activity. Find another, less intense activity.

_ Keep your quick-relief medicine on hand

when you’re active outdoors. That way,

if you do have symptoms, you’ll be

prepared. This is especially important

if you’re starting a new activity that is

more intense than you are used to.

_ Consult your health care provider. If you

have asthma symptoms when the air is

polluted, talk with your health care

provider.

• If you will be exercising more than

usual, discuss this with your health care

provider. Ask whether you should use

medicine before you start outdoor

activities.

• If you have symptoms during a certain

type of activity, ask your health care

provider if you should follow an asthma

action plan.

Get up-to-date information about

your local air quality:

Sometimes you can tell that the air is

polluted—for example, on a smoggy or

hazy day. But often you can’t. In many

areas, you can find air quality forecasts

and reports on local TV or radio. These

reports use the Air Quality Index, or AQI,

a simple color scale, to tell you how

clean or polluted the air is. You can also

find these reports on the Internet at:

www.epa.gov/airnow. You can use the AQI

to plan your activities each day to help

reduce your asthma symptoms.

For more information:

Air quality and health:

• EPA’s AIRNow website at

www.epa.gov/airnow

• Call 1-800-490-9198 to request free EPA

brochures on: Ozone and Your Health,

Particle Pollution and Your Health, and Air

Quality Index: A Guide to Air Quality and

Your Health.

Asthma:

• Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) Web site at

www.cdc.gov/asthma

Indoor air and asthma:

• EPA’s asthma website at

www.epa.gov/asthma

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EPA-452-F-04-002