Exhaust fumes are twice as deadly as roads, study claims (UK)

More than 5,000 people die prematurely from conditions like lung cancer and heart disease because of emissions, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Exhaust from aeroplanes cause a further 2,000 deaths annually while emissions from the energy and industrial sectors and pollution originating from Europe bring the overall total up to 19,000 deaths per year in Britain. In contrast official figures state that 1,850 people were killed as a result of road accidents in 2010. Prof Steven Barrett, who led the study, said: "It does appear to be the case that air pollution from road traffic causes more deaths per year than the number who die on the roads. "But those who die from air pollution tend to die about 10 years earlier than they would otherwise, whereas people who die in road traffic accidents might be on average middle aged, so it is likely that road traffic accidents cause more loss of life years overall than air pollution."

Diesel fume particles 'could raise heart attack risks' (UK)

Chemical particles in diesel exhaust fumes could increase the risk of heart attacks, new research has suggested. Edinburgh University scientists found minuscule particles produced by burning diesel can increase the chance of blood clots forming in arteries. The blood clots can then lead to heart attacks or stroke. The team measured the impact of diesel exhaust fumes on a group of healthy volunteers at levels found in heavily polluted cities. The volunteers' reaction to gases found in diesel fumes, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, were compared with their reactions to tiny chemical particles found in the exhausts. It was found that the particles, and not the gases, impaired the function of blood vessels - BBC

Car gadget could reduce risk of heart attack, says study (UK)

New research shows that fitting diesel-fuelled cars with a 'particle trap' gadget could reduce the risk of heart attacks in traffic-heavy areas. We already know that air pollution can trigger a heart attack. Recently an international study showed that air pollution was the 'most important' trigger of heart attacks in people with existing coronary heart disease. Diesel exhaust is thought to be more harmful to heart and blood vessel function than standard petrol exhaust, due to higher levels of dangerous tiny particles. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have demonstrated for the first time that these 'particle traps' can dramatically reduce the negative effects of diesel fumes on the heart and circulation. Dr Andrew Lucking from the University of Edinburgh, who led the research, said: "The trap we used dramatically reduced the harmful effects of exposure to diesel exhaust. Our results suggest that if all diesel powered vehicles had particle traps fitted, heart attacks could be avoided." - BHF

Dirty air triggers more heart attacks than cocaine

"Air pollution triggers more heart attacks than using cocaine and poses as high a risk of sparking a heart attack as alcohol, coffee and physical exertion, scientists said on Thursday. Sex, anger, marijuana use and chest or respiratory infections and can also trigger heart attacks to different extents, the researchers said, but air pollution, particularly in heavy traffic, is the major culprit. The findings, published in The Lancet journal, suggest population-wide factors like polluted air should be taken more seriously when looking at heart risks, and should be put into context beside higher but relatively rarer risks like drug use. Tim Nawrot of Hasselt University in Belgium, who led the study, said he hoped his findings would also encourage doctors to think more often about population level risks" - Scientific American

Tiny blood vessels show pollution, heart disease link

"By photographing tiny blood vessels in a person's eyes, researchers have found a way to link exposure to air pollution with a higher risk of heart disease, a study published Tuesday said. "New digital photos of the retina revealed that otherwise healthy people exposed to high levels of air pollution had narrower retinal arterioles, an indication of a higher risk of heart disease," said the study in PLoS Medicine. A person who was exposed to low level of pollution in a short time period showed the microvascular - or extremely tiny -- blood vessels "of someone three years older," it said. Someone who faced longer term exposure to high levels of pollution had the blood vessels of someone seven years older, it said"

Evidence growing of air pollution’s link to heart disease, death (USA)

The scientific evidence linking air pollution to heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular death has "substantially strengthened," and people, particularly those at high cardiovascular risk, should limit their exposure, according to an updated American Heart Association scientific statement. The evidence is strongest for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) having a causal relationship to cardiovascular disease, said the expert panel of authors who updated the association's 2004 initial statement on air pollution, also published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. The major source of PM2.5 is fossil fuel combustion from industry, traffic, and power generation. Biomass burning, heating, cooking, indoor activities and forest fires may also be relevant sources, particularly in certain regions

Video: Inhaling a heart attack: How air pollution can cause heart disease

One in three Americans suffer from hypertension, a significant health problem that can lead to cardiovascular disease, heart failure, stroke, diabetes and other life-threatening problems. Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System have determined that the very air we breathe can be an invisible catalyst to cardiovascular disease

Inhaling a heart attack: how air pollution can cause heart disease

"It's well known that measures such as exercise, a healthy diet and not smoking can help reduce high blood pressure, but researchers at the University of Michigan Health System have determined the very air we breathe can be an invisible catalyst to heart disease. Inhaling air pollution over just two hours caused a significant increase in diastolic blood pressure, the lower number on blood pressure readings, according to new U-M research. The study findings appear in the current issue of Hypertension, a publication of the American Heart Association"

How ultrafine particles in air pollution may cause heart disease

"Patients prone to heart disease may one day be told by physicians to avoid not only fatty foods and smoking but air pollution too. A new academic study led by UCLA researchers has revealed that the smallest particles from vehicle emissions may be the most damaging components of air pollution in triggering plaque buildup in the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. The scientists identified a way in which pollutant particles may promote hardening of the arteries - by inactivating the protective qualities of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, known as 'good' cholesterol" - ScienceDaily