It's no news that air pollution, generated mainly by large urban centers, is harmful to the health of the lungs, skin, airways and health in general.
However, new studies are looking into the possibility that it may also be related to cardiovascular diseases, such as acute heart attacks.
High rates of cardiovascular disease are a reality all over the world, including in Brazil, where there are more than 360,000 deaths every year related to heart problems such as hypertension, strokes and others.
The Brazilian Society of Cardiology has created the Cardiometer, a real-time indicator of cardiovascular-related deaths in the country as a way of raising awareness.
But could pollution be linked to this? Read on to find out.
The link between pollution and cardiovascular disease
According to new studies carried out in China, pollution from large cities and places rich in industries that emit gases harmful to the atmosphere and human health can cause an increase in the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction.
The harmful gases assessed include:
- carbon monoxide (CO),
- ozone (O₃),
- sulfur dioxide (SO₂),
- nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Although not all of them are as well known as CO, they are present in most of the world's major cities.
It is also worth remembering that this study was carried out in Hubei province by several experts who were already conducting research into pollution and its relationship with health problems.
The research investigated 151,608 deaths from acute myocardial infarction between 2013 and 2018 and focused on identifying whether the harmful gases mentioned above (CO, O₃, SO₂ and NO₂) could be responsible.
The study method was a rigorous survey of the exposure and concentration of these gases in the patients' living environment, by carefully evaluating their addresses, as well as considering the air monitoring stations closest to their homes.
The study also looked at the size of the particles and their diameters, which can be divided into:
- aerodynamic,
- ≤ 2.5 micrometers,
- ≤ 10 micrometers.
Results
The study concluded that particles of all sizes were related to an increase in deaths from myocardial infarction, so that those with a diameter ≤ 10 micrometers raised the number of deaths to a peak, according to the level of exposure.
Another interesting result was that NO₂ exposure was higher in older people who had spent a lot of time in this environment with the gas, although not directly.
This indicates what experts already suspected: the greater the exposure to the harmful gases mentioned, the higher the rates of acute myocardial infarction.
Atmospheric pollution should also be seen and studied as a risk factor for heart health, and it is ideal to avoid being in environments that could pose this risk. It is also essential to maintain preventive care for cardiovascular health, carrying out routine examinations and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating well and exercising regularly.
Take the opportunity to find out about other interesting cardiovascular health issues and read our blog articles, such as this one on the new diagnostic guidelines for SAH.
