Airborne pollution causing surge in heart attack deaths, says study
Exposure to higher levels of fine particulates causes a sharp rise in deaths from heart attacks
Exposure to higher levels of fine particulates - the airborne pollution that is an emerging problem in many Asian cities - causes a sharp rise in deaths from heart attacks, a study published on Wednesday said.
Research published in the pointed the finger at so-called PM2.5 pollution, which comprises tiny particles measuring 2.5 micrometres across or less.
They are mainly generated by burning coal and oil for power stations, and petrol and diesel for transport.
Around 30 times smaller than a human hair, PM2.5 particles have long been identified as a respiratory problem, as their size enables them to lodge deep in the lungs. Less understood, though, is their impact on cardiac health.
Cathryn Tonne at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine led a study into 154,000 patients in England and Wales who had been hospitalised for a heart attack between 2004 and 2007.
In Milan, we are concerned when the concentration of PM2.5 is around 100 and in China it reaches values of 1,000, you can understand the magnitude of the difference in risk and effects
They followed the patients for more than three years after their release from hospital. During this period, nearly 40,000 of them died.
