[ad_1]
Wearing a face mask helps limit the spread of Covid-19 by reducing respiratory droplets and aerosols spewed into the air when people breathe, talk, laugh, sneeze or cough, a new study suggests.
But the physical barrier created by the masks has raised concerns that they could damage the cardiopulmonary system by making it more difficult to breathe, altering the flow of inhaled oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide, and increasing wheezing – a medical term describing shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing. , especially during physical activity.
In a new study, published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, a team of American and Canadian researchers concluded that while sensations of wheezing may increase, there is little empirical evidence that wearing a face mask significantly decreases lung function, although worn during exercise.
“There may be more perceived exertion with the activity, but the effects of wearing a mask on breathing work, on gases such as oxygen and CO2 in the blood or other physiological parameters are small, often too small to detect,” said Lo. study first author Susan Hopkins, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and radiology at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
“Additionally, there is no evidence to support gender or age differences in physiological responses to exercise while wearing a face mask,” added Hopkins, who specializes in exercise physiology and studying stressed lungs.
The one exception, the authors note, could be people with severe cardiopulmonary disease in whom any additional resistance to breathing or slight changes in blood gases could result in dyspnea large enough to affect exercise capacity.
“In these cases, these people may feel too uncomfortable to exercise, and this should be discussed with their doctor,” Hopkins said. “However, the fact that these individuals are at great risk if they contract Covid-19 must also be considered”
The researchers came to their conclusions following a review of all known published scientific literature that examined the effects of various face masks and respiratory load devices on physiological and perceptual responses to physical activity.
These studies evaluated multiple factors, such as work of breathing (the quantified energy expended to inhale and exhale), arterial blood gases, effects on muscle blood flow and fatigue, heart function and blood flow to the brain. .
For healthy people, the effects of wearing a mask on these physiological markers were minimal, regardless of the type of mask worn or the degree of exercise. The authors also stated that age did not play a significant influencing role among adults. Gender differences were deemed irrelevant.
“Wearing a face mask can be uncomfortable,” Hopkins said. “There can be small increases in breathing resistance. Warmer and slightly enriched CO2 air can be inhaled again. And if you work out, the mask can make your face hot and sweaty.
“But these are sensory perceptions. They do not affect cardiopulmonary function in healthy people. So, although dyspnea can be increased with a mask, you have to weigh it against the reduced risk of contracting Covid-19, knowing that the physiology is essentially unchanged, “Hopkins added.
.
[ad_2]
Source link
