COPD, Infections, Pollution: How They Fuel Dangerous Chronic Inflammation

• Chronic inflammation, unlike acute, damages tissues in conditions like COPD, persistent infections, and pollution exposure, as explained by Dr Abhijit Ahuja.
• In COPD, repeated exposure to triggers like smoke or pollution causes immune cells to release inflammatory chemicals, damaging lungs and reducing capacity.
• Long-term infections (e.g., tuberculosis, recurrent pneumonia) keep the immune system alert, leading to lingering inflammation, lung scarring, and decline.
• Air pollution (PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, ozone) causes oxidative stress, triggering inflammation and increasing the risk of asthma, COPD, and infections.
• Breaking the cycle involves prevention: reducing exposure, quitting smoking, prompt infection treatment, and appropriate anti-inflammatory therapies.

Why It Matters: Chronic inflammation, driven by COPD, infections, and pollution, silently damages lungs; early intervention is crucial.