According to public health specialists, air pollution causes more heart attacks nationwide in addition to harming the lungs. In recent years, poor air quality has grown to be a major public health issue. Research has validated its involvement in a variety of illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory conditions. “The widespread belief that air pollution solely causes lung ailments has been influenced by images of individuals coughing in it.
But we must realize that air pollution has a very significant impact on heart health. At the ‘Illness to Wellness’ event hosted by ASSOCHAM, Dr. Sandeep Bansal, Medical Superintendent, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, stated that cardiovascular illnesses are the cause of death from air pollution. Bansal’s team has discovered that an increase in heart attack cases is associated with a 0.5 increase in particulate matter during the previous week.
He called for practical ways to reduce air pollution, which would enhance cardiovascular health. In India, outdoor air pollution from all sources causes 2.18 million fatalities annually, with heart disease accounting for 30% of these deaths. Among Indians, heart disease is the leading cause of death and a silent epidemic. Another big worry is the rise in obesity rates. Obesity is a significant risk factor for cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure, all of which can exacerbate heart disease.
