The newfound evidence, culled from more than a dozen studies on humans and animals, shows that tiny pieces of soot called particulates may alter the heart rate in some people, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday. The link has not yet been proven, but there is a strong likelihood that the particles cause the heart problems, possibly indicating air pollution poses a greater public health threat than previously thought, the newspaper said.
Heart disease is the top killer in the United States, responsible for about half of all deaths.
At smog levels found in many U.S. cities, the inhalation of particulates can disrupt a person's ability to regulate the pumping of blood. The threat is particularly severe for older people who have arrhythmia, a condition marked by an irregular heartbeat. Sometimes it's within 24 hours,'' said Robert Devlin of the Environmental Protection Agency's clinical research branch. Changes in heart rhythm that occur after breathing particulates are subtle on an electrocardiogram and do not affect healthy people. All rights reserved.