“The quality of the air we breathe is very important because, in addition to cigarette smoke, it is the second determinant of some chronic respiratory diseases, such as chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. And the inseparable combination of ‘respiratory health and the environment’ will be the protagonist of the 24th national congress of Italian Pneumology”. So at Adnkronos Salute Mauro Carone, Director UOC Pulmonology and Respiratory Rehabilitation Irccs Maugeri Bari and president of the congress promoted by Aipo Italian Association of Hospital Pulmonologists to be held in Bari, at the Fiera del Levante, from 9 to 11 June.
“For this edition we thought of the term ‘PneumoLogic’ – explains Carone – because we live in an era in which we are merging technological and bioinformatics capabilities with current medical knowledge. A fusion of reason, logic, humanism and technology that must lead to the improvement of care for our patients. What we have called ‘the Enlightenment of pulmonology’”.
During the meeting “we will talk about the reorganization of pulmonology – continues Carone – especially after the Covid-19 and the establishment of semi-intensive respiratory therapy sections; of the new Lea, of the Pnrr and of the state of implementation of healthcare interventions with the need for correct hospital-territory integration. But there will also be space to talk about the impact of pollution and climate change on respiratory health and for initiatives in favor of the environment”. Among these, the planting of trees within the municipality where the works are carried out. “We started last year in Catania – recalls the pulmonologist – where we placed 150 trees and shrubs. We will do the same thing this year in Bari where another 150 trees will be planted in San Francesco Park. For us, the combination of respiratory and environmental health is fundamental, you cannot have good respiratory health if there is not good environmental health”.
On the last day of the congress, starting at 17, a talk show open to citizens on the effects of air pollution and climate change on human health will be held in the exhibition pavilion. “Experts of international renown and representatives of local institutions will be present – objective: to understand how to contribute to avoiding and combating environmental pollution”.
“Also pay attention to the quality of sleep – warns the expert – which is very important for our body. There are some chronic respiratory diseases related to sleep apnea that do not allow us to breathe well to the point of causing damage not only to the respiratory system but also to the cardiovascular system. All this can cause serious problems for our patients, repeated sleep apnea for many years can in fact lead to daytime hyper-somnolence, thus causing road accidents, accidents at work, increasing the risk of stroke and myocardial infarction. Therefore, a correct quality of sleep, which must be measured and treated with special tests and tools, allows you to avoid all these risks and to lead a life as normal as possible”.
The Italian Association of Hospital Pulmonologists has gone further in recent years: “We have also opened up to society, becoming supporters of Save the children – concludes Carone – because the general health of the population is equally fundamental especially for those who live in more disadvantaged conditions who are the people who most need an intervention by a pulmonologist for chronic respiratory diseases”.
