Ozone and Your Patients' Health
Review Questions - Answer 9
- Common symptoms due to short-term ozone exposure include:
A. Cough
B. Pain on deep inspiration
C. Eye irritation
D. Shortness of breath
E. A, B, and D
F. A, C, and D
Exposure to elevated ozone levels has been shown to cause cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath. The mechanisms that cause this are explained in the section "What are ozone's acute physiological and symptom effects?" Eye irritation is not caused by ozone but by peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), which is a different oxidant that often is formed in the ambient air when ozone levels are high.