How does air pollution cause heart disease?

We are used to thinking of heart disease as a product of genetic factors or lifestyle choices, such as what we eat and how much we exercise. There is another road to heart disease: BREATHING!

Evidence indicates that an increase in air pollution is associated with an increase in heart attacks and deaths. Research has begun in the relatively new field of 鈥渆nvironmental cardiology鈥? a field that examines the relationship between air pollution and heart disease. Studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between levels of airborne particles, sulfur dioxide, and other fossil fuel emissions and risk of early death from heart disease.

When pollutants are inhaled, they trigger an increase in "reactive oxygen species" superoxiding molecules that damage cells, cause inflammation in the lungs, and spark the cascade of harmful effects in the heart and cardiovascular system. Recent studies suggest that ultra-fine air pollutants, such as those coming from car exhaust, may pass into the blood stream and damage the heart and blood vessels directly. Hearts directly exposed to ultra-fine air pollutants show an immediate decrease in both coronary blood flow and the heart's pumping function, as well as a tendency to develop arrhythmias.

The heart is a large, hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood filled with oxygen and nutrients through the blood vessels to the body tissues.In air-polluted environment, the heart may not pump enough oxygenated blood to meet the body's need for oxygen and nutrients, which are supplied by the blood. As a result, arm and leg muscles may tire more quickly, and the kidneys may not function normally.

The kidneys filter fluid and waste products from the blood into the urine, but when the heart cannot pump adequately, the kidneys malfunction and cannot remove excess fluid from the blood. As a result, the amount of fluid in the bloodstream increases, and the workload of the failing heart increases, creating a vicious circle. Thus, heart failure becomes even worse in air-polluted environment.

Take care as always!

Polluted air has fewer oxygen content and other chemicals in the air. All these may cause lung irritation and decrease oxygen supply to the heart. When the lung is damaged, heart disease could be developed, such as right heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. The situation is similar to life long smoker.

For those who already have heart diseases, polluted air with decreased oxygen content may lower the oxygen supply to the heart and precipitate acute heart problem, including heart failure and heart attack.