Health risks associated with pollution

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Study published in the British Medical Journal identifies pollutant particles and nitrogen dioxide as main culprits. Breathing in large amounts of traffic fumes can trigger a heart attack up to six hours after exposure, according to research which reaffirms the health risks associated with pollution.

The study, in the British Medical Journal, found that high levels of pollution can increase the risk of suffering a heart attack. It identifies exposure to pollutant particles and nitrogen dioxide expelled by cars, which are both markers of contaminated urban atmospheres, as the main culprits.

The authors quantify the risk as small – up to 1.3% higher risk of a heart attack up to six hours after exposure to those substances. But they say that getting enough of those two substances into the lungs can bring forward by a few hours a heart attack that would have happened anyway. This is called short-term displacement or the “harvesting” effect of pollution.

Ref and Read more: http://zmarter.com/science/traffic-fumes-can-trigger-heart-attacks-say-researchers.html

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