Smog Tied to More Cardiovascular Disease-Related Mortality

TUESDAY, April 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- "Polish smog" has a significant impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality, according to a study presented at the annual congress of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology, held from April 13 to 15 in Malaga, Spain.

Michal Swieczkowski, M.D., from the Medical University of Bialystok in Poland, and colleagues assessed whether "Polish smog" has an impact on mortality due to CVD. The analysis included 87,990 all-cause deaths (2016 to 2020) from five main cities in Eastern Poland, including 34,907 from CVD, 9,688 from acute coronary syndromes (ACS), and 3,776 from ischemic stroke (IS). Air pollution concentrations were obtained from Voivodeship Inspectorate for Environmental Protection.

The researchers found that a 10-μg/m³ increase in all analyzed air pollutants was associated with an increase in mortality due to CVD on the day of exposure (particulate matter [PM_2.5]: odds ratio [OR], 1.034; PM₁₀: OR, 1.033; nitrogen dioxide [NO₂]: OR, 1.083). Similar findings were seen with a time lag of one and two days after the polluted day. On the day of pollution, the increased mortality due to higher PM level was due to ACS (PM_2.5: OR, 1.029; PM₁₀: OR, 1.015). On day 1 after pollution, increased mortality was due to an increase in both IS (PM_2.5: OR, 1.03) and ACS (PM_2.5: OR, 1.028; PM₁₀: OR, 1.026; NO₂: OR, 1.036). These effects were found to be greater in women and in older adults.

"Our study suggests that to preserve heart health, it is advisable to plan time outdoors around air quality forecasts," Swieczkowski said in a statement. "When staying home is not an option, wearing a mask during peak pollution hours and avoiding areas with heavy traffic should be considered."

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