Air pollution may increase the risk of heart attacks in individuals who are constantly exposed to even small amounts of it, a study has found. This could spell more disaster for traffic police in India, who are constantly exposed to a large amount of smoke everyday.
The results of the study conducted by researchers at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre are published in 'Circulation', a journal of the American Heart Association. The study suggests that exposure to pollutants in the air even for a couple of hours increases the risk of a heart attack. The researchers interviewed 772 patients with a history of a heart attack and found that when these people were exposed to air pollutants, their risk of getting another attack increased.
The reason cited for this was that pollutants clog the air pathways and blood vessels and cause them to swell up. In people who already have swollen arteries, the risk of heart attack thus increases. The study also pointed out that air pollution does not cause heart attacks but increases risk of the same. This means that pollution does not significantly affect people with no previous history of heart disease.
The research was conducted in the United States and it may goad the Environment Protection Agency to implement more stringent measures, but in India, the situation appears more grim. The best solution for this, as advised by the experts, is to avoid outdoor activities on hot, hazy days so that the exposure is minimised.
Circulation 2001; 103