Pollution and heart disease

In a 'first of its kind' study it was found that blood vessels constrict even in healthy individuals who constantly inhale air contaminated with pollutants from car and truck exhausts. The findings may explain why poor air quality renders people with cardiovascular disease particularly susceptible to serious illness.Although there is a lot of epidemiological data to prove that air pollution is associated with serious respiratory and cardiovascular disease thereis still a lack of understanding of the physiological correlation between the two. A study was conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The team evaluated the effects of inhalation of particulate air pollution (i.e. tiny particles that are inhaled deep into the lungs) and ozone which is a key ingredient of urban smog.Twenty-five healthy volunteers inhaled air with concentrations ofparticulate matter of 150 micrograms per cubic meter and 120 parts perbillion of ozone for 2 hours. These concentrations are similar to thosefound in the air during rush-hour traffic in large cities. Using ultrasoundto monitor changes in the brachial artery (a large blood vessel that runs down the arm from the shoulder)the researchers found that the artery constricted between 2% and 4% when people were exposed to the polluted air. No such changes were seen in participants who breathed filtered, pollution-free air.The findings suggest a definite correlation between the increased rate of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events and exposure to air pollutants. Air pollution is globally on the rise due to worldwide industrialisation and clearly has an adverse impact on blood vessel function even in the healthiest of individuals.