Studies show that inversions can make health problems even worse

SALT LAKE CITY — Perhaps not surprisingly, air pollution from winter inversions and summer wildfires significantly increases inflammation in Utahns with heart disease.

This finding comes from a recent new Intermountain Health study, which is currently being debated as the northern part of the state is currently covered in muddy air.

“That was an interesting dichotomy, an interesting difference between people with heart failure and people without heart disease,” said Dr. Benjamin Horne, the study’s lead researcher. “They come to hospital and are more likely to be hospitalized on the days or in the days following a short-term increase in air pollution, while people who are disease-free tend not to have this problem.”

Patients with heart failure need to take special precautions during periods of high air pollution, such as: B. stay indoors during training.

“When you exercise, you breathe in a lot more air,” Horne said. “You increase your exposure by concentrating these air pollutants.”

Fortunately, Utahns can escape inversion in the winter by climbing to higher altitudes. On the other hand, Horne said it’s not so easy to find places where you can breathe easier during the rest of the year.

“(Moving to higher elevations is) not helpful because wildfire smoke doesn’t necessarily just stay in the valley like pollutants do during inversion symptoms,” the doctor added.

The best thing people can do is take medication to keep their health stable and ensure that air filters at home and in vehicles are working well.