Worldwide, millions of emergency room visits each year are linked to pollution as patients breathe contaminated air that causes asthma attacks, a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives found.
The researchers examined ER visits for asthma in 54 countries and Hong Kong.
They then combined that data with global pollution data pulled from satellites and information on the link between pollution exposure and asthma.
The study revealed 9 million to 23 million ER visits every year may be attributed to ozone. Another 5 million to 10 million visits are tied to fine particulate matter. Roughly half of ER visits linked to to contaminated air were in South and East Asia.