Scientists from Bialystok Medical University found that patients with heart failure were more likely to die on days when air pollution was high. The study was presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Scientific Congress.
The scientists used data on mortality rates in the five main cities of eastern Poland for the period from 2016 to 2020. Concentrations of air pollutants (PM2.5 and PM10) in different urban areas were obtained from the Environmental Protection Inspectorate. A total of 87,990 deaths were recorded over the five-year study, of which 7,404 were from heart failure. The median age of those who died from heart failure was 74. The highest number of deaths occurred in winter and the lowest in summer with an average of 1.03 and 0.69 per day, respectively.
A 10µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM10 in air increased the risk of death from heart failure by 10% and 9%, respectively. The effect persisted for two days after exposure to polluted air.
The study means that patients with heart failure should minimize their exposure to polluted areas, such as avoiding exercising outdoors in high-traffic areas. You should use special air purifiers at home.
“The results show that reducing air pollution can prevent heart failure from worsening. Protecting vulnerable groups, especially during the winter months, should be an integral part of clinical care. This means that healthcare professionals working with patients must monitor air quality and choose the optimal time for active rest for patients.” said.
All analyzes were adjusted for factors that may have influenced the risk of death, including study participants’ age and gender.
Source: Gazeta
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