Bad air means bad asthma attacks

Doctors are still uncertain about what causes asthma. Genes and environment may both play a role. But is very clear what worsens it: dirty air. Asthma rates are higher in places with bad air quality, and though asthma has no known cure it can be controlled by limiting exposure to asthma triggers such as smog and particulate air pollutants.

Poor air quality caused by exhaust from cars, factory emissions, smoke, and dust can aggravate the lungs and can worsen chronic lung diseases, according to the EPA. Coal-fired power plants are also a big part of the problem. Power plant pollutants are a well-known trigger, as is smog. Air pollution makes asthma worse for those who already have it, increasing the likelihood of an asthma attack, hospitalization, or death.