CBC News
Women living in areas with more air pollution may be more prone to heart attacks and strokes than those living in cleaner places, a new study suggests.
The researchers looked at the health records of nearly 66,000 women age 50 to 79 living across the United States. The study appears in Thursday’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
An estimated 5,900 Canadian deaths each year can be attributed to air pollution, according to Health Canada.
(CBC)
“Our study provides evidence of the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and the incidence of cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Joel Kaufman of the University of Washington at Seattle and his colleagues wrote.
The women, who did not initially have cardiovascular disease, were followed for up to nine years. Researchers tracked how many went on to have a heart attack, stroke, coronary bypass surgery or die of cardiovascular causes.
The study focused on levels of fine particular matter — tiny, airborne particles of soot or dust that come from vehicle exhaust, coal-fired power plants, industry and wood-burning fireplaces.
It would take about 30 to 40 of the particles, which are less than 2.5 microns in diameter, to equal the diameter of a human hair.
When the concentration of particulates increased by 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air, the risk of death from heart disease among women jumped by 76 per cent, the team found, after taking into account factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking.
“The magnitude of health effects may be larger than previously recognized,” the researchers concluded.
In a commentary accompanying the study, Dr. Douglas Dockery and Dr. Peter Stone of Harvard University said the study “greatly expands our understanding of how fine particulate pollution affects health.”
Scientists suspects that the particles may cause inflammation in the blood vessels and the lungs, which may lead to fat clogging up arteries.
The particles are invisible once in the atmosphere, but may be seen in dense clouds coming from tailpipes, smokestacks or chimneys.
Previous studies have looked for links between airborne particulate matter and cardiovascular disease, but this was the first to look at new cases of heart disease among healthy people living in polluted cities.
In 2005, a report by Health Canada estimated that 5,900 Canadian deaths each year can be attributed to air pollution.
Women face higher risk of death from heart disease: report
- A woman’s risk of dying after a heart attack or stroke is higher than a man’s, according to a new report, which also found women have caught up to men when it comes to cardiovascular disease deaths.
- Women living in areas with more air pollution may be more prone to heart attacks and strokes than those living in cleaner places, a new study suggests.
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