Hot summer weather can mean more time outside, but for people with asthma, these hot temperatures can also bring breathing problems. Hot, humid air can irritate the airways.
And ozone, pollen, mold and other air pollutants can add to the problem.
For people living with asthma, knowing how to manage those triggers before symptoms begin can help reduce the risk of a flare-up. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recommends several steps for managing asthma during hot weather. Here are five steps from the AAFA that can help.
Before heading outdoors, check the weather and air quality in your area.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) HeatRisk tool provides a convenient seven-day, health-based heat forecast. It uses a five-level scale to show how risky heat may be in a specific area. The CDC also recommends checking the Air Quality Index, or AQI, for information about pollutants such as ozone and particle pollution.
This is especially important for people with asthma because hot weather can worsen air pollution, and pollutants can irritate sensitive airways.
If heat or air quality is poor, consider moving outdoor activities indoors or rescheduling them.
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When temperatures rise, staying cool can help reduce heat-related stress on the body.
AAFA recommends staying inside with air conditioning when possible. People without air conditioning can look for an air-conditioned library, cooling center or other public location.
Drinking water can also help prevent dehydration, which is more likely during hot weather. AAFA says dehydration and changes in the body’s fluid and electrolyte balance can worsen asthma symptoms.
If you need to be outside, consider going out when conditions are cooler and air quality is better.
AAFA recommends planning outdoor activities for early morning or evening when ozone levels may be lower. People with asthma should also carry their quick-relief medicine and follow the instructions in their asthma action plan.
Hot and humid conditions can cause the airways to narrow and tighten. Humidity can also encourage the growth of mold and dust mites, which may trigger symptoms in people with allergic asthma.
Hot weather is not a reason to stop taking prescribed asthma medication.
AAFA recommends taking asthma medicines as prescribed and following an asthma action plan. People should talk with their health care provider if they need help adjusting their plan for summer conditions.
Asthma medicine also should be protected from extreme heat. AAFA advises people not to leave inhalers or other heat-sensitive medicines in a hot car or in direct sunlight.
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Asthma symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness or pain, according to AAFA. Some symptoms of overheating, including shortness of breath, dizziness, headache and weakness, can overlap with asthma symptoms.
If symptoms begin, move to a cooler location and follow your asthma action plan.
If a quick-relief inhaler is not helping, symptoms are getting worse quickly, or you have severe trouble breathing or difficulty walking or talking because of shortness of breath, AAFA recommends seeking urgent medical care.
Heat and air pollution do not affect every community in the same way.
A Stanford Medicine study found that Black Americans had the highest rates of mortality attributed to fine particle pollution, known as PM2.5, among the racial and ethnic groups examined. The researchers analyzed county-level mortality and pollution data from 1990 through 2016.
In 1990, the study found the PM2.5-attributable mortality rate for Black Americans was about 350 deaths per 100,000 people. By 2016, it had dropped to about 50 deaths per 100,000, but it remained the highest rate among the groups studied. Black Americans had the highest PM2.5-attributable mortality rate in 96.6 percent of U.S. counties included in the analysis, according to Stanford Medicine.
PM2.5 refers to extremely small particles that can travel deep into the lungs. Stanford researchers noted that exposure can worsen asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the short term and contribute to other health problems over time.
The findings do not mean every Black person faces the same level of pollution exposure or asthma risk. But they highlight why checking air quality and limiting exposure on unhealthy days can be important for communities already facing higher pollution-related health risks.
Heat can be uncomfortable, but for someone with asthma, it can become a health concern when combined with other triggers.
Keeping an eye on HeatRisk and the AQI, staying hydrated, limiting exposure to extreme heat and pollution, taking medications as prescribed and knowing when to seek care can help people with asthma stay safer during the summer.
“Heat can affect anyone. But if you have asthma, heat might affect you even more,” AAFA says on its website.
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