Our thoughts are with our beloved LA community as we grieve the unfathomable loss brought on by the many wildfires in our area. But even in these difficult times, our fight against kidney disease goes on.
As the threat of smoke and toxins continues, we have asked our board member, Dr. Richard Glassock, one of the most eminent physicians in the field of nephrology, to advise on the best ways to stay safe.
Exposure to wild-fire smoke can be damaging to health, especially in the presence of vulnerability due to an underlying chronic illness, like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or kidney failure.
Relocation to an area with good quality air is the best strategy to avoid a smoke related injury. If this is not possible, remaining indoors with good filtered air-conditioning is a reasonable alternative, unless the residence is threatened by fire or if an evacuation order is mandated. If it is necessary to remain in a smoky area then wearing a N95 filtered mask or a more advanced filtered respirator is recommended. In any case, every effort should be made to limit the time of outdoor exposure to high smoke density. The particulate material in smoke and gaseous chemical contaminants can be directly damaging and can also exacerbate chronic illness by provoking systemic inflammation.