Age Healthier

Breathe Easier

Information for Older Adults and Their Families

September 2005

Did you know that environmental hazards can 

make it harder to breathe 

if one suffers from 

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary 

Disease (COPD) or asthma? The 

following are useful solutions to 

control environmental factors that 

can worsen these conditions. As 

people age, they are more likely 

to develop breathing problems 

caused by lung diseases. By 

knowing what can cause or set 

off an asthma attack, or other 

breathing problems, you may be 

able to protect yourself and your 

loved ones.

What in the Environment Can 

Make it Harder to Breathe?

Breathing problems can occur if 

you smoke or are around tobacco 

smoke. Other environmental 

hazards can also make it hard 

to breathe, such as breathing 

dust and fumes at work or in the 

home, and breathing outdoor air 

pollutants.

The principal types of outdoor air 

pollution that can worsen breathing problems include:

 • Particle pollution: Particle 

pollution comes from car and 

truck exhaust, emissions from 

factories, power plants, and 

construction site dust.

 • Ozone: Ozone is a gas created when pollutants emitted 

by cars, power and chemical 

plants, and other sources, react 

chemically with sunlight. 

Breathing problems can also be 

caused by indoor air pollution: 

 • Smoke from tobacco and 

wood-burning stoves

 • Fumes created when coal, oil, 

kerosene, or gas are burned

 • Fumes from household cleaning products and products 

used to kill bugs or rodents, 

and other products that make 

odors (paints, wax, hobby 

products and cosmetics, fragrances, and gasoline fumes)

 • Dust mites (tiny bugs) 

and cockroaches

 • Pet dander (skin flakes, saliva 

and urine from animals that 

can cause an allergic reaction 

such as sneezing or wheezing) 

 • Mold and dust

What are the Main Types 

of Lung Diseases?

COPD may be caused by chronic 

bronchitis or emphysema. A 

person’s lungs with COPD cannot 

take in or force out enough air. 

People with COPD get short of 

breath, tire easily, cough a lot and 

feel tight in the chest. Their lungs 

also produce too much mucus. 

As COPD becomes more serious, 

people may be unable to walk 

up steps or do daily tasks such 

as fixing meals. COPD gets worse 

over time and cannot be cured. 

About 119,000 people die of 

this disease each year. Many die 

at a younger age than the averFACT SHEET

COPD is the 4th 

leading cause 

of death in the 

United States. 

In 2000, COPD 

led to 726,000 

hospital stays 

and 1.5 million 

emergency room 

visits.1 

More than two 

million people 

age 65 years 

and older have 

asthma. In 

2001, more than 

860,000 older 

adults had an 

asthma episode 

or attack.2
age American. Each year, our nation 

spends about $32 million to care for 

people with COPD.

Asthma makes it hard for people to 

breathe at certain times. The difference between asthma and COPD is 

that asthma can usually be treated. 

During an asthma attack, a person 

may cough very hard and struggle 

to get air. Medicine in a spray bottle 

called an inhaler can open up the 

lungs.

What Is EPA’s Aging Initiative? 

To help older adults enjoy a longer 

and healthier life, the EPA developed 

the Aging Initiative. To learn more 

about the Aging Initiative and environmental factors that can affect your 

health, visit www.epa.gov/aging. You 

can download a poster with information about COPD and asthma called 

“Age Healthier, Breathe Easier.” 

End Notes

1. National Institute on Heart, 

Lung and Blood, NIH, 

U.S. DHHS, Mortality and 

Morbidity Chartbook 2002 on 

Cardiovascular, Lung and Blood 

Diseases.

2. National Center for Health 

Statistics, Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention, U.S. 

DHHS, Summary Health Statistics 

for U.S. Adults, National Health 

Interview Survey, 2001.

How Can You Protect 

Yourself and Your Loved 

Ones? 

If you have symptoms of lung disease, see a doctor 

right away. Symptoms include coughing up lots of 

mucus; feeling short of breath; and having a pain in 

your chest.

You and your health care provider can work out a 

plan for taking care of your symptoms with medicine. Your health care provider may also advise you 

about what to do. In addition, you can take steps 

to avoid being exposed to things that can cause or 

worsen lung problems. 

• Avoid tobacco smoke and smoke from 

wood-burning stoves

• Clean your house to get rid of mold, 

dust mites, and cockroaches

• Keep pets out of places where you sleep

• Check your furnace, heating units, and stove 

every year for gas leaks and be sure they 

are free of mold

• Clean humidifier and air conditioner filter 

to be sure they are free of mold

• Fix water leaks right away to keep mold 

from growing and cockroaches away

• Open a window or door when using strong 

cleaning products, paint, or bug spray so the 

fumes will not build up indoors

• Check the Air Quality Index by visiting 

www.epa.gov/airnow and follow the advice 

about staying indoors. Some newspaper, television, and radio weather reports also carry the 

Air Quality Index.

Publication Number

EPA-100-F-05-017