Ozone Can Trigger Respiratory Problems - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 2000

The hot days of late summer provide the perfect climate for formation of ground-level ozone and can cause short-term difficulties for the respiratory system, warns David Khan, assistant professor of internal medicine and an allergist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Ground-level ozone is created when pollutants emitted by cars and chemical plants react to heat and sunlight.

"When there is an ozone alert, everyone needs to be conscious of the time they spend outdoors," he notes. "High ozone levels make a person with allergies or asthma more sensitive to allergens, one of the most common triggers for an asthma attack."

If you have symptoms such as rapid or shallow breathing, coughing, or general discomfort in the chest, stay indoors as much as possible until ozone levels decline. Khan also suggests avoiding strenuous exercise, monitoring asthma, and taking preventive medicine.