Air pollution causes heart attack

to a study published in The Lancet this month.
Researchers found spending time in traffic, whether as a driver or pedestrian, tops the list of “last straw” risk factors that bring on a heart attack.
Polluted air contains particles of dust and soot less than ten microns wide (one micron is a millionth of a metre) which get into the lungs and cause inflammation.
Jon Ayres, Professor of Environmental and Respiratory Medicine at the University of Birmingham, says: “Particles raise the risk of respiratory problems and also seem to increase the stickiness of the blood.
“So, if you’ve got coronary heart disease, it may contribute to causing a heart attack.”
Air pollution is not only linked to strokes, heart attacks and cancer – it has a profound effect on those with existing respiratory conditions. Asthmatics are more likely to have an asthma attack on days when pollution is high.
Minimising the damage
l Avoid main roads. These have the highest number of vehicles and also more traffic jams – idle vehicles emit denser fumes – and more buses, which tend to run on diesel.
l Cleaning products, air fresheners and objects such as synthetic carpets, TV screens and MDF can emit chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have been linked to diseases such as cancer. Remove plug-in air fresheners and open windows instead. Stock up on houseplants. Wet-toner photocopiers emit high levels of VOCs, so if you sit near one at work, move desks.
l The chivalrous man who walks on the kerb side of the pavement to protect his companion from traffic might also be protecting her lungs.
lWalk in the rain. Prof Ayres says: “When it’s windy, pollution levels are lower because the particles are blown around. But on hot days, you have a temperature inversion, where a warm band forms in the air. It acts like a saucepan lid that traps all the emissions below.” – Daily Mail.