Study links Air Pollution to Increased Deaths Due to Heart Disease

Today, air pollution has become a common place term that we use almost every day. It leads to problems like global warming, acid rain, and heart problems. A new study released Tuesday warned that the bad air increase risk of heart attack, and many times, kills people.

The study reported that over 500,000 people in America said that they have noticed air pollution levels rise in the regions they live. According to study researchers, when levels of some pollutants go up in the air, the rates of deaths also go up. Most of the people die because of heart diseases they develop due to rise in air pollution levels.

In a recent statement, George Thurston, researcher from Langone Medical Center of New York University and lead author of the new study, said, "Our data add to a growing body of evidence that particulate matter is really harmful to health, increasing overall mortality, mostly deaths from cardiovascular disease, as well as deaths from respiratory disease in nonsmokers".

During the study, the researchers studied air pollutants known as particulates. According to the researchers, these are the particles that settle deep into the lungs. Adding to that, they have some dangerous metals like arsenic and mercury.

The researchers also looked at a survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health and AARP. They examined about 500,000 people from six states. They also included data of Environmental Protection Agency in the new study.