Heart attack survivors who live in polluted areas are more likely to die young

Exposure to man-made pollutants can pose a serious health risk to those who have suffered heart attacks

Heart attack survivors who are exposed to air pollution are more likely to die young, research has found.
Experts monitored more than 154,000 patients treated for heart attacks and angina for an average period of 3.7 years.
They found that higher levels of tiny sooty particles in the air  increased death rates among survivors of acute coronary syndrome by 12 per cent.
Over the study period there were almost 5,000 extra deaths.
Previous studies have linked exposure to pollution particles and an increased risk of heart disease and early death.
But evidence of the impact of air pollution survival after heart attacks was inconsistent.
The new research, conducted in England and Wales, found that London had the highest estimated concentration of the particles - an average of 14.1 micrograms per cubic metre of air.
The main sources of these dangerous man-made particles, which lodge deep in the lungs, are road vehicles, factories and power stations.
People living in the North East of England had the lowest exposures.

The research indicated that patients from poorer backgrounds often live in areas with higher air pollution and tend to do less well after being diagnosed with heart problems.
Author Dr Cathryn Tonne, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: 'We found that for every 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in PM2.5 there was a 20 per cent increase in the death rate.

 

Road vehicles, factories and power stations are the main man-made sources of the particles, which lodge deep in the lungs.

'This raises the possibility that exposure to air pollution may explain, in part, the differences in prognosis among heart attack patients from different backgrounds,' said Dr Tonne.
She added: 'Our findings confirm an association between PM2.5 and increased rates of death in survivors of ACS.'
The research focused on tiny particles called PM2.5s that measure no more than 2.5 micrometres across - 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
The results were published in the European Heart Journal.