Having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can make it hard to breathe, affecting both the lungs and the heart. But research offers a possible solution: Using an air purifier helped patients’ hearts work better.

Researchers found that when people with COPD consistently used air purifiers, their hearts were better able to adapt their heart rates in response to daily demands, something known as heart rate variability (HRV), a key measure of overall heart health.

In fact, the participants who used air purifiers daily saw a 25 percent increase in HRV.

Study author Dr. Sarath Raju, who specializes in lung diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, said, “People with poor HRVs are at risk for a number of cardiac problems, such as heart attacks or a worsening of COPD symptoms. All of these things increase the odds of someone with COPD being hospitalized, which is of course something we want to avoid.”

The study also looked at the role of what scientists call ultrafine particles, tiny pieces of irritants in the air that people breathe. Raju and his colleagues found there was an association between the presence of these particles in a person’s home environment and a negative impact on lung health.

“This indicates that the indoor air environment plays an especially important role for people with COPD, and both doctors and patients should be aware of this information,” Raju said.