I read an article on the web this morning that said people with COPD should be careful when buying an air purifier, and the truth is, I tend to agree with this statement. The article stated that COPD is a “serious life threatening health problem that can be aggravated with the use of inferior poor performance air filters.” First, what is COPD? According to Wikipedia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a disease of the lungs in which the airways become narrowed. This leads to a limitation of the flow of air to and from the lungs causing shortness of breath. In contrast to asthma, the limitation of airflow is poorly reversible and usually gradually gets worse over time. So can an air purifier help a person with COPD? An October 2008 report by the Department of Environmental Health at the Harvard School of Public Health reports that people with COPD “have substantial mortality risks associated with exposure to particles.” According to the study, particles may impair ventilation in COPD patients by causing airway narrowing and increasing the work of breathing.

So while air purifiers are certainly not a cure for COPD, they can provide cleaner air, which according to the Harvard study, is paramount to people with COPD. A good HEPA filter can remove 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns from indoor air. It’s pretty safe to say that most air purifiers come (or should come) equipped with a HEPA filter— and since there is no such thing as a “better” HEPA filter, then it would be difficult to separate a superior air filter, from a poor performance air filter based simply on its HEPA filter. While HEPA filters are indeed designed to remove particles, and since any good purifier comes equipped with this filtration method, what then makes one air purifier superior to another? Not Just Particles—- Chemicals are also Dangerous for People with COPD Inhaling chemicals such as gas, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, or dry particulate chemicals, such as microscopic particles is dangerous for everyone, but can be especially dangerous for people with COPD.

In fact the number one cause for COPD is smoking… and one of the main chemicals in smoke is formaldehyde. But formaldehyde is also emitted from other everyday things, other than cigarettes, like stain-resistant furniture, flame retardant clothing, wood products such as particleboard, fiberboard, and plywood, and even carpeting, upholstery and baby furniture. vi-2500 ion air purifier reviewsIn fact, formaldehyde is found in many seemingly harmless things, despite it being considered a human carcinogen. oreck air purifier motorA branch of the California Environmental Protection Agency goes so far as to report that there is no safe level of formaldehyde.air purifier cebu city Activated carbon is one of the most adsorbent materials known to exist.

Activated carbon has been processed to create millions of tiny pores, producing a very large surface area available for adsorption of chemicals and gases. Just one gram of activated carbon has a surface area of approximately 500 m². Carbon is key when it comes to adsorbing chemicals, just as HEPA is key to filtering particles. The difference is, not all air purifiers have carbon. And many that do, feature mere ounces of carbon, or a type of carbon spray—- both of which are equally ineffective in adsorbing chemicals. An effective chemical-adsorbing air purifier, and an ideal choice for people with COPD, would be an air purifier that contains both a HEPA filter for particles, and pounds of activated carbon to adsorb dangerous airborne chemicals, like formaldehyde. Can Air Purifiers Cure COPD?Air purifiers are not a cure for COPD, but rather devices that can provide cleaner indoor air, with significantly reduced levels of particles and chemicals. Cleaner air is important for everyone, but perhaps most important for people with reduced lung capacity.

Should people with COPD be cautious when purchasing an air purifier? The answer is yes. A HEPA filter is great for particle filtration, but will do nothing to adsorb the dangerous airborne chemicals. Carbon will adsorb chemicals, but only an air purifier with pounds of activated carbon, not ounces, will be truly effective. AllerAir manufactures a full line of combination carbon-HEPA air purifiers, and has specific units designed for people with COPD. website, or call 1.888.852.8247 to speak to one of their Indoor Air Quality Experts.Home > Oransi Education Center > Oransi Smoke Education > Best Air Purifier For COPD Most of us know or live with someone who smokes. Yet, even though these smokers may step outside to light up and hear our constant reminders for them to quit, the majority of us still reap the unfortunate side-effects of second-hand smoke. Seeing as that uphill battle against our nicotine-addicted associates won’t be ending anytime soon, proactive approaches should be taken to combat common smoke-related diseases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), for anyone inhaling first or second-hand smoke.

But, before we get into the ways we can counteract COPD and explain how to get breathing back on track, lets look at why the smoke-centric disease happens in the first place. Health Effects of Smoking & COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is typically a direct product of inhaling smoke and can result in emphysema and/or chronic bronchitis. Whether the smoke being breathed in is first-hand smoke or second-hand, these respiratory illnesses essentially make the body’s internal airways inflamed and less elastic, leaving the lungs clogged with mucus and struggling to function properly. Common tell-tale symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath and mucus build-ups. To make matters worse, COPD is considered a progressive disease, meaning the effects only heighten over time. More so, smoke isn’t the only trigger of COPD. People around consistent air pollution or chemical inhalants may also become susceptible. For example, working in a plastics factory and breathing in CFC fumes or inhaling dust all day on a construction site are the type of consistent impediments that can lead to long-term COPD symptoms.

No matter how the disease is developed, COPD is often diagnosed in middle-aged and older adults, making it the third leading cause of death in the US. However, there are numerous lifestyle changes to consider that can help prevent COPD from completely settling.Fighting Back Against Smoking & COPDIdeally, anyone who wants to avoid COPD should cease contact with smokers and avoid second-hand smoke altogether. Anyone who actually smokes and wants to avoid COPD should stop smoking upon finishing this sentence. However, we understand those solutions aren’t always feasible options. Instead of taking drastic measures to dispel the suffocating disease, try these three easily-implemented preventative tactics. 1) Exercise: One such tactic that can alleviate COPD symptoms is implementing a workout routine. Although facilitating a full exercise plan can be extremely effective in healthy lung function and counteracting damage done by smoke inhalation, adding a minimal routine such as daily walking will help most people maintain above average breathing performance.

2) Respirators: If breathing problems are caused by surroundings in a workplace, one way to counteract them is by wearing a respirator. Built specifically to block out air pollutants like smoke and allergens, these masks are regularly used by painters to avoid contact with paint fumes and lead, as well as contractors who regularly work in dust. Anyone working the line in a factory or facility where COPD triggers are prominent should strongly consider wearing a mask for long-term preventative care. 3) Air Purifiers: We understand not everyone is going to jump at the chance to wear a mask at work every day or add daily trips to the gym on their schedule. For anyone looking to implement an immediate solution to help breath better and a long-term accomplice in the fight against COPD, consider an air purifier - more specifically, Oransi’s Erik Ultra and Erik Ultra Plus units. 4) Alternative methods: New alternative methods are being used to help treat COPD and improve your quality of life.

Built with the same filters used in hospital operating rooms, this state of the art air purifier filters out more than 99.99% of air pollutants, before they can damage lung function. That filter ratio is important, because the Erik Ultra Plus can account for the hard to capture particles that stay suspended in the air, which is exactly where second-hand tobacco smoke particles accumulate. Plus, with 195 square feet of filter media, the unit can cover most areas affected by smoke or other hazardous pollutants. For those reasons, the Oransi Erik Ultra and Oransi Erik Ultra Plus Air Purifiers are considered the most effective units on the market for battling COPD. However, if smoke specifically is your main concern, consider our Erik Multi-Carbon air purifier, which is strategically built with 14 lbs of carbon to remove the gases associated with tobacco smoke.To learn more about how the Erik Ultra, Erik Ultra Plus and Erik Multi-Carbon can help fight back against tobacco smoke and other potentially damaging inhalants, read the specifics on our highly-effective, USA-made air purifiers today