According to the American Heart Association, someone dies from cardiovascular disease every 40 seconds in the United States. Almost half of Americans have at least one of her three major risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking habits. Doctors tell patients to exercise more, watch their diet, and quit smoking to lower cardiovascular risk, but there are other factors that affect heart health, such as exposure to air pollution. You should recognize that.
EPA conducts and funds research to advance our understanding of the relationship between air pollution and heart health. These research efforts support the National Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and help provide better air quality for everyone. Most recently, researchers at the University of Washington, funded by the EPA’s STAR grant program, published a 10-year study on atherosclerosis that reveals a direct link between air pollution and atherosclerosis. We completed the Multi-Ethnic Survey Air Pollution Survey (MESA Air). A buildup of plaque within the coronary arteries that can affect heart health.
Since research began in 2004, nearly 100 peer-reviewed papers summarizing MESA Air’s discoveries have been published, and in May 2016, a medical journal lancet A seminal paper was published by lead researcher Dr. Joel Kaufman. The study found that long-term exposure to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides at levels close to National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) can prematurely age blood vessels and contribute to rapid calcium buildup within coronary arteries. It turns out that.
This calcium buildup restricts blood flow to the heart and other major blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.
While previous studies have shown a link between air pollution and heart disease, this study’s extensive duration, diversity of subjects, clear scope, and rigorous data collection make this study the Kaufman said the study provided “more detailed evidence that pollution accelerates the atherosclerotic process.” .
To reach this conclusion, researchers collected and analyzed large amounts of data on air quality for 6,800 diverse participants and the six regions in which they lived. Local air quality data was collected from the National Monitoring Network, a regulatory monitoring group used by the EPA to assess air quality to understand how individuals are exposed to air pollution on a daily basis. Some air quality data for the region is publicly accessible at AirNow.gov.
In addition, local air quality monitoring was conducted in the local community and immediately outside the homes of study participants. Some homes had indoor air monitors installed to assess indoor particulate matter pollution, and researchers even had certain participants wear personal air monitors.
To collect medical data, researchers used a non-invasive test that tracked participants’ heart health during the study period. Participants underwent an ultrasound to measure the thickness of the arterial wall within the artery, a CAT scan to track calcium buildup in the coronary arteries, and a blood pressure test. As part of the study, participants also received personalized health recommendations based on their test results.
Using air quality and medical data collected, researchers determined that there is a direct link between exposure to air pollution and plaque buildup. Healthy people exposed to air particle pollution over long periods of time had accelerated cases of atherosclerosis, depending on the risk for some participants. Heart attacks have increased. In fact, researchers found that the higher the exposure level, the faster atherosclerosis develops.
MESA Air provides evidence that long-term exposure to air pollution is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and should be taken seriously. In addition to encouraging policy makers to consider the long-term effects of low-level air particle pollution and urging healthcare providers to learn more about the effects of air pollution on the cardiovascular system, this study emphasizes the importance of monitoring air quality to protect the environment. health.
As EPA and other researchers continue to study the effects of air pollution on heart health, you can take action and improve your area by using EPA’s Air Quality Index, available on the AirNow.gov web page. can pay attention to air pollution. You can also learn more about the science EPA is doing to protect your heart health by accessing more information from EPA’s Healthy Heart Toolkit.
learn more:
