Check Local Pollution Reports
Be aware of ozone levels in your community and try to stay inside when levels are high. The EPA issues a daily Air Quality Index (AQI) for most of the U.S. indicating the concentration of five major air pollutants: ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The AQI categories, which are color-coded to make them easy to understand, are:

Those with lung disease may experience increased symptoms when the AQI is yellow, but more often at orange level, and these symptoms should alert you to take measures to protect your lungs:

• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• Limit outside activities to the early morning hours or after sunset. Ozone levels, in particular, tend to go down with the sun.
• Refrain from exercising outdoors when levels are high. Exercising causes you to breath faster, which means you take in even more pollutants than you would during normal activities.
• Stay away from high traffic areas, and avoid exercising near these areas at all times.

Follow your care plan
No matter how careful you are while you’re outside, atmospheric pollutants and irritants may cause respiratory problems. If you have asthma or another respiratory condition, ask your doctor or respiratory therapist to provide you with a care plan to follow in case of increasing symptoms. Follow the plan carefully, and if you are still having problems, contact your doctor or therapist for further advice.

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Reviewed: May 26, 2005
Revised: 09-12-06