A case report of cor pulmonale in a woman without exposure to tobacco smoke: an example of the risks of indoor wood burning.
We present the case of a 67-year-old woman with chronic cor pulmonale. She never smoked tobacco and had no other risk factors for pulmonary disease. In developed nations, chronic obstructive lung disease and cor pulmonale are overwhelmingly associated with tobacco use. However, indoor air pollution, most commonly due to burning of solid biomass fuel such as wood, can cause similar clinical syndromes. At our teaching hospital, there is an epidemic of chronic cor pulmonale among nonsmoking women. We attribute this sex predilection to women's greater exposure to wood smoke. Physicians must be cognizant of its risks and counsel patients on prevention strategies such as improved ventilation.
Opotowsky
Alexander R
AR
Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Alexander.Opotowsky@uphs.upenn.edu
Vedanthan
Rajesh
R
Mamlin
Joseph J
JJ
D000368:Aged; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor; D005260:Female; D006361:Heating; D006801:Humans; D011660:Pulmonary Heart Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012906:Smoke; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution; D014934:Wood
D012906:Smoke; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution