Now there's evidence that as pollution increases, so do your chances of a heart attack, according to a study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation. A full day after exposure, heart attacks increased overall by one-third. Researchers interviewed 772 Boston-area heart attack survivors a few days after they were admitted to the hospital, to determine when their symptoms began, then compared the data to air pollution measurements. Because they're so small, the particles can bypass the body's normal defense mechanisms and go deep into air sacs in the lungs, triggering an inflammatory response, researchers told Reuters. This bad air is not just found in big cities.
Weather patterns can send it hundreds of miles away, and it can vary dramatically from day to day.
While the conditions may not pose a big threat to young, healthy people, those who are at high risk for heart disease should avoid spending a lot of time outdoors on those hot, humid, hazy days, researchers say. And when indoors, people should try to keep the bad air out by using air conditioning and making sure air filters are clean. An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.