Bengaluru: From counting traffic signals crossed during a daily commute to asking whether patients live near construction sites, doctors in Bengaluru are increasingly considering air pollution exposure when assessing respiratory and other health problems.
“From Rajarajeshwari Nagar to the golf course, there are about 18 traffic signals.
Dr Satish K S, a senior pulmonologist, said he asks patients about their residence, workplace and mode of travel to gauge pollution exposure. Exposure depends not just on where people live but also on how much time they spend travelling and in traffic,” he said. Dr CN Manjunath, former director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Bengaluru Rural MP, called air pollution a “silent killer”, linking it to cardiovascular disease, stroke, respiratory illnesses and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Dr Gufran Beig, founder-director of SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting Research), cautioned that Bengaluru’s air quality readings may not fully capture pollution exposure. this does not necessarily mean less pollution is being generated While the city’s altitude may help pollutants disperse. He called for lung function tests to be included in preventive health check-ups. Dr Vivek Jawali, a senior cardiothoracic surgeon, warned that pollution spikes could destabilise arterial plaques in people with diabetes, obesity or existing atherosclerosis, increasing their risk of heart attacks and strokes.