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,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMedscape journal of medicine Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 22
Main Authors Opotowsky, Alexander R, Vedanthan, Rajesh, Mamlin, Joseph J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Medscape 29.01.2008
Subjects
Aged
Air Pollution, Indoor
Departments
Female
Heating
Humans
Pulmonary Heart Disease - diagnosis
Pulmonary Heart Disease - etiology
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Smoke
Tobacco Smoke Pollution
Wood
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Summary: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.
Bibliography:Disclosure: Rajesh Vedanthan, MD, MPH, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships in addition to his employment.
Disclosure: Joseph J. Mamlin, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships in addition to his employment.
Disclosure: Alexander R. Opotowsky, MD, MPH, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships in addition to his employment.
ISSN:1934-1997