Recent research has identified a solid link between early-life exposure to wildlife smoke and the use of upper respiratory medication. Specifically, the study conducted by the UNC Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology centers around an individual’s exposure to wildlife smoke, in-utero.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) Physician Dr. Eli J. Hurowitz shares key details from the recent UNC study on how the environment can be linked to a patient’s reliance on upper respiratory medications:
According to Ilona Jaspers, PhD, Director of UNC Center of Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, there is a major link between wildfire exposure and the use of upper respiratory medication. Jaspers and her colleagues took a close look at data from subjects who were exposed to such air pollutants as wildfire smoke while in-utero or in the first weeks of life. Overwhelmingly, the results indicated that in such cases, the subject would become reliant on medications like Zyrtec, albuterol and other systemic anti-inflammatory treatments, early on in life. Jaspers and her team believe that there is a solid link between these occurrences. As a Physician who understands how much the environment can impact an individual’s health, Dr. Eli J. Hurowitz is intrigued by this study and eager to learn more as Dr. Jaspers releases more findings.
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