Indoor air pollution : an overlooked link between smoking, sleep related respiratory distress and cardiometabolic risk

Abstract

Recently, authors from a paper comparing the air quality in smokers’ and non-smokers’ bedrooms, using a multipollutant approach, found that several pollutants not only exceeded the limits defined by the national guidelines, but also that their concentrations were significantly higher in smokers’ bedrooms. This is an interesting and rather disturbing aspect that leads to more than a simple environmental-based reflection. It should actually be considered a broad range public health issue. Despite the generalized health related negative outcomes associated with indoor air pollution, it is perfectly established that air quality specifically affects the cardiorespiratory and metabolic functions thus increasing the risk of cardiorespiratory and metabolic disorders, both highly prevalent conditions among the general population with a non-negligible impact on mortality rates.