Albuterol Nebulizer Use in Bahrain and the Burning Oil Wells of Kuwait

Since the oil wells in Kuwait were set on fire early in 1991, the mass media in the Persian Gulf have reported conflicting stories regarding the effect of the emitted smoke on human health. This article examines the trends of albuterol (Ventolin®) nebulizer use in Bahrain for the period extending between the first of January and the end of August, from 1989 to 1992. Results obtained revealed a substantial increase in the use of albuterol nebulizer after the break of the Desert Storm Operation. Although it is difficult to conclude that this increase is due to the smoke from the burning oil wells of Kuwait, the observations noted make such a possibility probable. Further studies that correlate the findings of this report with air pollution measurements may give a definite answer.