It's widely understood that exposure to air pollution over the long term or in high concentrations is bad for people's health. However, new research reveals that there may be no safe level of exposure. A new study examined the onset of ischemic stroke in certain risk groups and discovered that even immediate exposure to low levels of air pollution could be a significant risk factor, Healio reports.
What's happening?
The study used data from 2011 to 2020 from eastern Poland. It examined hospitalizations for ischemic stroke and used residential ZIP codes to determine whether patients were exposed to fine particulate matter pollution, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone (O3), benzo(alpha)pyrene, and carbon monoxide on the day of their stroke.
As Healio explained, the study found that stroke risk was elevated in people who were exposed to various types of pollution that day — as much as 2.4% higher in the case of fine particulate pollution. The risk was most notable in women under 65 and people who lived in areas where smoking was more prevalent.
Also, the risk accelerated quickly at low levels of pollution and leveled out at higher concentrations, meaning even a little air pollution had a large impact.
"Such exposure-response relationship curves in environmental studies are pivotal for assessing the benefits of air pollution concentration-reducing policies, suggesting that there is no 'safe' level of air pollution," wrote Michał Święczkowski, MD, of Poland's Medical University of Bialystok, and colleagues, per Healio.
Why is understanding the effects of air pollution important?
Right now, people all over the world are exposed to air pollution from factories and power plants — some unknowingly, as the pollution can travel long distances.
Knowing that even a small amount of pollution can cause potentially deadly strokes, it will be easier to create policies to prevent or capture pollution.
"The long-term impact of air pollution on [cardiovascular diseases] has been well established in the scientific literature; however, short-term effects have not yet been well studied, especially in relation to Polish smog and ischemic stroke incidence in the region of Eastern Europe," said the researchers, per Healio. "Understanding these dependencies is exceptionally important for health care planning and resource allocations."
What can I do about pollution?
First, you can reduce your personal risk by paying attention to air quality. An air quality monitor can help, as can the EPA's website for tracking air quality data. Inside the home, air purifiers will help protect your health; outside, you can wear a mask designed to filter out fine particle pollution on heavy days.
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Meanwhile, voting for pro-environment candidates who will help control pollution is the best option for long-term solutions.
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