Air Pollution May Trigger Heart Arrhythmias In Otherwise Healthy Teens, New Study Finds
Over 137 million Americans “are living in places with failing grades for unhealthy levels of particle pollution or ozone,” according to the American Lung Association’s 2022 report. This striking statistic represents a sharp increase of 2.1 million more people breathing in unhealthy air since only last year.
Still, while air pollution has been known to adversely affect adults and result in various cardiovascular events– such as heart failure, coronary syndrome, and stroke– its impact on teenagers is an emerging field of research.
And a first-of-its-kind study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association is pioneering this sector.
The researchers found that healthy teenagers who inhale particulate matter, or tiny particles of liquids and solids suspended in the air, may suffer from arrhythmias– or irregular heart rhythms.
Arrhythmias are generally rare but, if they occur, can lead otherwise healthy teens and young adults to suffer from cardiac arrest.
But, Fan He, the study’s lead author, described how the prevalence of irregular heart rhythms could potentially be expected to rise as we continue to witness increasing levels of air pollution.
“Our findings linking air pollution to irregular heart rhythms suggest that particulate matter may contribute to the risk of sudden cardiac death among youth,” He said.
Fine particulates, known as PM2.5, are smaller than 2.5 microns and can be deeply inhaled. Then, the particles can even enter into the bloodstream.
This matter typically originates from fuel combustion– such as wildfires and car exhaust– and has a multitude of effects.
Prostock-studio – illustrative purpose only, not the actual person
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First, they can irritate the lungs and then the blood vessels around the heart. Finally, long-term exposure has the potential to increase the risk of artery disease.
So, the researchers analyzed the health data of three hundred and twenty-two adolescents with an average age of seventeen. These study participants were initially recruited between 2002 and 2006 when they were between the ages of six and twelve. Then, the team followed up with the participants seven and a half years later.
Additionally, the PM2.5 concentration measured during the study was well below the minimum air quality standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Regardless of that, though, the study ultimately revealed that seventy-nine percent of the adolescents suffered from at least one irregular heart rhythm during a twenty-four-hour study period.
“It is alarming that we were able to observe such a significant impact of air pollution on cardiac arrhythmias when the air quality remained well within the health-based standards established by the EPA,” said He.
Moreover, He believes that the study– which has solidified a link between increased risk of cardiovascular disease and sudden cardiac death in healthy teens– may call for new health safety practices amidst subpar air quality across the nation.
“Protective measures, such as wearing masks and avoiding vigorous physical activities, may be warranted on days that particulate matter concentration is high– especially during early morning rush hours.”
To read the study’s complete findings, visit the link here.
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