The Lungs and Climate Change Cedars-Sinai Skip to main content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Los Angeles, 05 March 2020 06:10 AM America/Los_Angeles The Lungs and Climate Change Lung Specialist Urges Patients and Exercisers to Avoid Toxic Air Caused by Wildfires Climate Change download Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Cedars-Sinai Special Report: The Lungs and Climate Change Special Report: Climate Change and Your Health Every day, there are news stories about climate change and our planet. Science tells us that climate change is resulting in rising seas, catastrophic weather, droughts and harm to wildlife. As healthcare professionals, we wanted to share what effects climate change might be having on your health. Leading up to Earth Day on April 22, we are posting a weekly story and video that investigate the various ways climate change is impacting our bodies. This week's topic: The Lungs and Climate Change. From California to Australia, wildfires are growing in frequency and ferocity. Climate scientists draw a direct line from rising global temperatures to a wildfire season that now lasts nearly the entire year. The impact wildfires have on the quality of the air we breathe is one of the most apparent effects of climate change. The lungs can be a window to our overall health and Cedars-Sinai experts are seeing the impact of environmental changes on the health of patients. "During the wildfires we often see exaggerated wheezing, cough, runny nose, congested eyes and overall shortness of breath," said Zab Mosenifar, MD, pulmonologist and the Geri and Richard Brawerman Chair in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. Mosenifar explains that people don't have to live next to the fire's edge to be impacted. Small particles from a major burn can travel very long distances, eventually landing in the small airways of our respiratory system, causing irritation and inflammation. "Emergency Department and clinic visits have been on the rise, especially by patients who already have a chronic lung disease like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)," said Mosenifar. Mosenifar also said that new research suggests that infants and young children may be particularly vulnerable to lung damage-and immune system disruption-even if they live far from the burn. But the lung specialist believes there is still time to reverse course. Mosenifar is a long-distance runner who, at the age of 70, has completed 100 marathons. Air quality is always on his mind. "When our family first moved to Los Angeles 45 years ago, I would see a massive brownish yellow haze that hovered over the city as I ran," recalled Mosenifar. "But the city and the state took bold actions to improve the environment. Now, when I come over a hill and down into the city it is so clear. I am confident that we can make changes if we take the right steps to fight the impact of climate change now, so it will be a better, healthier world for our children and grandchildren." In the meantime, Mosenifar suggests focusing on creating a lifestyle that can help each of us avoid exposure to bad air particles from wildfires or other toxic sources. One thing he advocates is changing exercise habits. "I run at 5 a.m. because the air is cleaner," said Mosenifar, "and I try to be around green spaces, trees and plants which can also filter bad particles and carbon dioxide." 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With a new right lung, the patient, a 69-year-old man from … Read more Show previous items Show next items Contact the Media Team Email: [email protected] Contact Laura Coverson laura.coverson@cshs.org Search Our Newsroom Share this release The Lungs and Climate Change Share on: Twitter Share on: Facebook Share on: LinkedIn Social media Visit our Facebook page (opens in new window) Follow us on Twitter (opens in new window) Visit our Youtube profile (opens in new window) (opens in new window) Latest news 07 Oct 2022 - HealthDay: Black Women Less Likely to Get Laparoscopic Fibroid Surgeries 07 Oct 2022 - Faculty Publications: Sept. 29-Oct. 6 07 Oct 2022 - Fine-Tuning Organ-Chip Technology 06 Oct 2022 - KCRW: Want New Omicron Booster? Wait at Least 2 Months After Last Shot 05 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Schedules Free Flu Vaccine Clinics 04 Oct 2022 - Cedars-Sinai Showcases Hispanic and Latinx Art Newsroom Home