A new study is saying that, although many things cause heart attacks including alcohol, sex and coffee, air pollution triggers more heart attacks than even cocaine. Air pollution is not only hurting the environment, it’s coming back to bite humans in the butt or more importantly, the heart. Drug use is not even as high as risk when it comes to heart attacks. Tim Nawrot of Hasselt University in Belgium hopes these new findings will push doctors to think about population level risks. The greater public is being effected, not just individuals. The World Health Organization estimates air pollution causes around 2 million premature deaths worldwide each year. Between 36 separate studies, Nawrot’s team discovered exposure to traffic was the highest risk population-attributable fraction. Although individuals experiencing heart attacks were often the result of drugs, the population is hurt more with traffic pollution. Health authorities should focus on the most important heart attack triggers, which include smoking in public and traffic pollution. Either way, if someone wishes to be healthy and dodge a heart attack, they should focus on not smoking and exercising to keep a healthy weight. In my opinion, the solution is not as easy as it sounds. Although I'm sure pollution adds to heart problems, there is no way to completely stop traffic pollution. People use cars, and the only thing a person can do is try their best to stay healthy through normal means, such as exercise. Traffic pollution is harmful, but to stop it will take the entire world.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Air Pollution Will Break Your Heart
A new study is saying that, although many things cause heart attacks including alcohol, sex and coffee, air pollution triggers more heart attacks than even cocaine. Air pollution is not only hurting the environment, it’s coming back to bite humans in the butt or more importantly, the heart. Drug use is not even as high as risk when it comes to heart attacks. Tim Nawrot of Hasselt University in Belgium hopes these new findings will push doctors to think about population level risks. The greater public is being effected, not just individuals. The World Health Organization estimates air pollution causes around 2 million premature deaths worldwide each year. Between 36 separate studies, Nawrot’s team discovered exposure to traffic was the highest risk population-attributable fraction. Although individuals experiencing heart attacks were often the result of drugs, the population is hurt more with traffic pollution. Health authorities should focus on the most important heart attack triggers, which include smoking in public and traffic pollution. Either way, if someone wishes to be healthy and dodge a heart attack, they should focus on not smoking and exercising to keep a healthy weight. In my opinion, the solution is not as easy as it sounds. Although I'm sure pollution adds to heart problems, there is no way to completely stop traffic pollution. People use cars, and the only thing a person can do is try their best to stay healthy through normal means, such as exercise. Traffic pollution is harmful, but to stop it will take the entire world.
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Air pollution is a serious problem because it affects everyone. If dangerous chemicals are emitted into the air, there is no avoiding inhaling these chemicals. Finding ways of reducing harmful chemicals into the air is a must. Each individual should do his/her part to reduce emisions released into the atmosphere by carpooling or simply driving less. On the topic of hearth attacks, I agree with Brie, it is important to live a healthy lifestyle in an attempt to avoid encountering a heart attack.
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