November 2009
COPD is the 4th
leading cause of
death in the United
States. In 2006,
COPD led
to 672,000 hospital
stays and 1.4
million hospital
emergency room
visits.'
More than two
million adults age
65 and older have
asthma. In 2004,
more than one
million older adults
had an asthma
episode or attack/
Age Healthier
Breathe Easier
Information for Older Adults and Their Caregivers
Did you know that envi-
ronmental hazards can
make it harder to breathe
if one suffers from Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
(COPD) or asthma? The following
are useful solutions to control envi-
ronmental factors that can worsen
these conditions. As people age, they
are more likely to develop breath-
ing problems caused by lung dis-
eases. By knowing what can cause
or set off an asthma attack, or other
breathing problems, you may be
able to protect yourself and your
loved ones.
What in the Environment Can
Make it Harder to Breathe?
Breathing problems can occur if
you smoke or are around tobacco
smoke. Other environmental hazards
can also make it hard to breathe,
such as breathing dust and fumes at
work or in the home, and breathing
outdoor air pollutants.
The principal types of outdoor air
pollution that can worsen breathing
problems include:
• Particle pollution: Particle pol-
lution comes from car and truck
exhaust, emissions from facto-
ries, power plants, and construc-
tion site dust.
• Ozone: Ozone is a gas created
when pollutants emitted by cars,
power and chemical plants, and
other sources, react chemically
with sunlight.
Breathing problems can also be
caused by indoor air pollution:
• Smoke from tobacco and wood-
burning stoves
• Fumes created when coal, oil,
kerosene, or gas are burned
• Fumes from household clean-
ing products and products used
to kill bugs or rodents, and
other products that make odors
(paints, wax, hobby products and
cosmetics, fragrances, and gaso-
line fumes)
• Dust mites (tiny bugs)
and cockroaches
• Pet dander (skin flakes, saliva and
urine from animals that can cause
an allergic reaction such as sneez-
ing or wheezing)
• Mold and dust
What are the Main Types
of Lung Diseases?
COPD may be caused by chronic
bronchitis or emphysema. A person's
lungs with COPD cannot take in or
force out enough air. People with
COPD get short of breath, tire eas-
ily, cough a lot and feel tight in the
chest. Their lungs also produce too
much mucus. As COPD becomes
more serious, people may be unable
to walk up steps or do daily tasks
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How Can You Protect
Yourself and Your Loved
Ones?
If you have symptoms of lung disease, see a doctor
right away. Symptoms include coughing up lots of
mucus; feeling short of breath; and having a pain in
your chest.
You and your health care provider can work out a
plan for taking care of your symptoms with medi-
cine. Your health care provider may also advise you
about what to do. In addition, you can take steps
to avoid being exposed to things that can cause or
worsen lung problems.
• Avoid tobacco smoke and smoke from
wood-burning stoves
• Clean your house to get rid of mold,
dust mites, and cockroaches
• Keep pets out of places where you sleep
• Check your furnace, heating units, and stove
every year for gas leaks and be sure they
are free of mold
• Clean humidifier and air conditioner filter
to be sure they are free of mold
• Fix water leaks right away to keep mold
from growing and cockroaches away
• Open a window or door when using strong
cleaning products, paint, or bug spray so the
fumes will not build up indoors
• Check the Air Quality Index by visiting
www.epa.gov/airnow and follow the advice
about staying indoors. Some newspaper, televi-
sion, and radio weather reports also carry the
Air Quality Index.
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such as fixing meals. COPD gets worse
over time and cannot be cured. About
119,000 people die of this disease each
year. Many die at a younger age than
the average American. Each year, our
nation spends about $32 million to care
for people with COPD.
Asthma makes it hard for people to
breathe at certain times. The differ-
ence between asthma and COPD is that
asthma can usually be treated. During an
asthma attack, a person may cough very
hard and struggle to get air. Medicine in
a spray bottle called an inhaler can open
up the lungs.
What Is EPA's Aging Initiative?
To help older adults enjoy a longer and
healthier life, the EPA developed the
Aging Initiative. To learn more about
the Aging Initiative and environmental
factors that can affect your health, visit
www.epa.gov/aging. You can down-
load a poster with information about
COPD and asthma called "Age Healthier,
Breathe Easier."
AGING
Initiative
End Notes
1 Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, National Center for Health
Statistics. Final Vital Statistics Report. Deaths:
Final Data for 2005, Vol. 56, No. 10, April 24,
2008.
2 National Center for Health Statistics. Raw
Data from the National Health Interview
Survey, U.S., 1982-1996, 2001-2004.
Easy-to-read version of Age Healthier, Breathe Easier
Publication Number EPA 100-F-09-050
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