Do you worry about the air you breathe? Air pollution is a problem and causes 800,000 early deaths a year worldwide (according to the World Health Organization). Air pollution alone is not enough to cause death in otherwise healthy people. But it could speed up the disease process in people with chronic lung disease, heart disease, and risk factors for cancer.
The pollution contains a variable mixture of gases and small particles. It's almost impossible to tease out which culprits do the most damage. The type of pollution varies from one workplace or city to another. And the harmful effects of even the same types of pollution vary for different diseases.
In a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, we got some insight into the effects of one type of pollution. The study looked at how inhaled diesel fumes affect men with stable heart disease during exercise.
All of the men showed heart muscle stress during exercise. However, inhaling a light mixture of diesel fumes led to greater stress on the heart muscle cells than inhaling filtered air. This occurred even though the level of oxygen in both mixtures was similar. The diesel fumes also caused an imbalance of substances in the blood that affect clotting, which could indicate a greater heart attack risk during pollution exposure.
Previous research has shown that people exposed for a long time to air pollution have a greater risk of hardening of the arteries. This also increases the chance of having a heart attack.
What should I do?
One person can't have much effect on air pollution. It will take worldwide cooperation. Most people are concerned about the future of our environment and the potential dangers to our health. While studies such as this one offer more insight into the effects of poor air quality, we already know that pollution can't be good. We need to have more studies on what can be done to make our environment healthier.
In the meantime, take these steps to prevent heart disease:
· Don't smoke.
· Avoid heavy exposure to secondhand smoke.
· Exercise daily.
· Help to keep down your blood pressure and cholesterol levels by eating a healthy diet.
· If you already have heart disease, take your medicines regularly. This can help fight some of the adverse effects of pollution.
Are you taking steps to limit pollution—either the amount you contribute to creating, or the amount you are exposed to?
Julie K. Silver, M.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. She is also the Chief Editor of Books for Harvard Health Publications.
Heart Letter
The Harvard Heart Letter provides eight pages of monthly heart news, directly from the more than 8,000 doctors and researchers at Harvard Medical School. It’s a source of expert advice for people who may already suffer from heart disease (or their family members) and for people concerned about their risk who wish to take steps towards positive change.
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