In a previous article, air pollution is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s among children and adolescents. According to University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metric and Evaluation, air pollution is the main cause of 6.1 million deaths in 2016. In the same year, a study published by The Lancet Neurology found that air pollution increases the risk of stroke.

Researchers at the Queen Mary University of London found that low air pollution levels can still cause significant damage to the heart. The changes have similar characteristics to patients of heart failure. In their research, they gathered data from 3,920 participants which covered personal information including lifestyle, health records, and residences. The participants also underwent blood test and heart MRI to find out their hearts’ sizes, weights, and functions.

The results showed that participants who live near crowded streets are exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or PM2.5 - small particles commonly found in air pollution - which causes the right and left ventricles to swell, an early sign of heart failure. The researchers also found a connection between the exposure level to changes in the heart’s anatomy.

Researchers found that the heart will swell 1% for every exposure to 1 microgram per cubic metre of PM2.5 or every 10 microgram per cubic metre of NO2. The research found that the average annual PM2.5 exposure is still within the limit set by the UK at 25 microgram, although it surpasses WHO’s limit of 10 microgram per cubic metre. Although the research is observational, the data shows significant changes in the heart when exposed to air pollution. Thus, it is a given that we need to create a pollution-free environment.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from thetimes.co.uk

Source(s):

• Aung, N., Sanghvi, M. M., Zemrak, F. et all (2018). Association Between Ambient Air Pollution and Cardiac Morpho-Functional Phenotypes: Insights From the UK Biobank Population Imaging Study. Circulation, https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.034856.
• Even low levels of air pollution linked with serious changes in the heart, according to new UK research (2018). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180803103315.htm, August 07, 2018.
• Even low air pollution may cause you serious heart problems (2018). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322680.php, August 07, 2018.