Key Summary
- UK air pollution raises heart failure risk by 27% and stroke risk by 7%
- PM2.5 particles damage blood vessels, driving heart disease
- Despite declines, UK pollution still breaches WHO limits
Air pollution raises heart failure risk among millions of Britons, says a study conducted by William Harvey research institute at Queen Mary University of London.
People living in the UK’s highly air polluted regions have 27 per cent higher risk of heart failure, and 7 per cent more chances of stroke.
The research examined 299,323 people with the presence of PM2.5 in their region, between 2010 and 2020 to confirm the danger.
PM2.5 is a pollutant emerging from vehicles, industry and household heating.
It is 30 times smaller than the human hair that makes it easier to enter people’s bloodstream via their nostrils.
It inflames the blood vessels, making them stiffer and prone to fatty-build up.
This condition leads to high blood pressure, eventually causing stroke or heart failure.
“We know cleaner air means healthier hearts, and this research lays bare the impact of air pollution on public health,” said Ghita Housni, the lead author of the research.
She stressed that, “We need to improve air quality by introducing public health strategies which strongly prioritise cardiovascular protection.”
Though the UK’s air pollution has fallen in the past decade, it still remains at harmful levels, scientists warn.
Even with a 30 per cent drop in PM2.5 since 2015, UK levels still exceed WHO limits on 22 days a year.
“Going further to reduce air pollution could help the UK to prevent premature cardiovascular disease, and save and improve lives for current and future generations,” said Dr Sanya Babu-Narayan, clinical director at the British Heart Foundation.
