Air Pollution

Science has consistently found that human death is a fascinating avenue for overall health and wellbeing. Researchers are still curious about what increases the risk of death in a person. A recent study has shed light on the link between environmental factors and mortality in humans such as the increased risk of CVD. 

Scientists are able to discover a new link between an increase in cardiovascular death and the inhalation of polluted ambient air or household air pollution. 

The Impact of Environmental Pollutants on Health 

There is no doubt that environmental pollutants play a significant role in the health and well-being of individuals. According to the best doctors at healthwire genetics are known to play a vital role in the ability of people to develop serious disorders or diseases. 

The stats of WHO has stated that as much as 24% of the world’s death are because of environmental pollution. The WHO has provided a list of some environmental factors that might contribute to increased death:

  • Air pollution
  • High exposure to hazardous chemicals
  • Water and sanitation
  • Catastrophic weather events such as heat waves

One of the top ten causes of death due to environmental factors is heart disease. There is still ongoing research regarding the potential environmental factors and their subsequent impact on heart health and how can people reduce them. 

The Risk of High Mortality Rate

This study had a multiethnic cohort of 50,045 participants in Iran. 

Scientists were eager to learn about the risk association that existed between the increased risk of mortality and various sorts of environmental exposures. They were able to come to conclusive results in this context.

This research had the following compounds of environmental factors in it:

  • If someone is living in close proximity to traffic
  • The use of fuel in the household can have an impact on the overall ambiance of the house
  • How far do they have to travel if they had a heart problem
  • The overall population density
  • Ambient fine particulate matter air pollution
  • Nighttime light exposure

The doctors then accounted for the individual risk factors as well. They were able to deduce the following key points that were worthy of research:

  • People who are likely in areas of high air pollution are prone to a 17% higher risk of CVD mortality and are 20% more actively subjected to an all-cause mortality
  • People who are frequently the use biomass fuels such as wood without any sort of chimney are 36% more likely to have a CVD and 23% increased risk of all-cause mortality
  • People who are habitual of using kerosene oil without any sort of chimney are more prone to 19% CVD mortality risk and 9% of all-cause mortality

Dr. Hadley Micheal who is the study author said that “Air pollution exposures contributed a significant burden of cardiovascular disease, similar to tobacco smoke…The study demonstrates that environmental risk factors are present and evaluable in rural, low-resource settings.”

The Limitations of this Study

The study was a comprehensive research matter as it had a subsequent population size. The risk factors of this study were also thoroughly examined. But this study still had some limitations. 

The first thing was that they only considered those people who were living in villages and neighborhoods. The researchers were not able to consult those people who had to travel far away from others. This could have a clear impact on the data collection as well as on the total study area.

Secondly, they were able to collect the data only on for the said year. This leads to a major limitation of any past experience or subsequent changes over life as well as acute exposures to hazardous wastes. 

How to Reduce the Overall Risk?

The study carefully explained the link between exposure to environmental factors and the potential of acquiring healthcare complications. Dr. Aaron J Cohen who is the consulting principal scientist with the Health Effects Institute said that they have to expand the horizons of the linkage between environmental factors in a series of multiple groups.

“Further reductions in pollution levels and their associated burden of the disease will require a comprehensive and coordinated air quality management approach that involves multiple actors in government, including agencies of health, energy, and environment, as well as civil society, including environmental and public health NGOs [non-governmental organizations] and the press.” 

Dr. Hadley also included that “Increasingly, physicians will need to answer questions about environmental risk and offer suggestions and interventions to protect their patients. This will require further research to identify the most effective interventions for specific risk factors and patient populations,”

“Trials are needed to test the efficacy of interventions to protect patients from environmental risk factors. For example, air filtration or facemasks to reduce the risk of air pollution exposures,”

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