Swaths of public figures have been perishing to heart problems in recent times. From ‘power star’ Puneeth Rajkumar to the recent death of TV actor Siddhant Veer Suryavanshi, it seems as though the disease doesn’t discriminate even if you maintain a healthy workout regimen. Then what’s driving this recent slew of rising heart problems? New research says air pollution could be to blame.
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Many studies have pointed at the deteriorating air as a primary driver of heart issues. Keeping this in mind, a bunch of researchers have determined that using air purifiers in indoor settings can vastly improve heart health in people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
“We’ve seen that air pollution in the home, where people spend a majority of their time, contributes to impairments in respiratory health. We hypothesised this pollution is a big driver of cardiovascular disease and cardiac events in people with COPD,” says lead author Sarath Raju.
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The study found that people who suffered from COPD found their symptoms alleviated after using air purifiers indoors. Specifically, the participants saw a 25% increase in heart rate variability — an indicator of good heart health — after the air cleaners were used. When active filters were kept on throughout the day, they saw a 105% increase in the parameter.
Another concerning factor the scientists encountered was the presence of “ultrafine” particles, which are minuscule grains smaller than a thousandth of a millimetre. These are extremely dangerous to the human body since they can travel deeply into the deepest parts of the lungs when inhaled and even cross into the bloodstream.
“Ultrafine particles might be the most potent particles in terms of health consequences,” says study author Meredith McCormack. “These particles and other indoor air pollutants can cause systemic inflammation in susceptible patients like those with COPD. Our study shows there’s a negative impact on cardiovascular health as well.”
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So far, we’ve primarily focused on mitigating heart problems by maintaining a good diet and an active lifestyle. However, a growing mountain of evidence pointing at poor air quality’s sinister hand can no longer be ignored. As a result, the researchers hypothesise that air cleaners could be integral to remediating heart-related problems in the future.
The findings of this research have been published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and can be accessed here.
NOTE – This article was originally published in weather and can be viewed here
Tags: #AirPurifiers, #COPD, #fitness, #getgreengetgrowing, #gngagritech, #greenstories, #health, #heart, #indoorairpollutant, #Pollution
