Study: Air Pollution May Increase Risk of Heart Disease

If you're looking to protect your heart from disease, you're probably well aware of the importance of dieting and exercising. Eating a low-fat, balanced diet while exercising for at least 75 minutes each week will lower your risk of heart disease (among other chronic health ailments). However, a new study has found that air pollution can increase the risk of heart disease. Researchers say that people who are exposed to high levels of air pollution on a regular basis are more likely to develop heart disease than their counterparts who are exposed to low levels of air pollution.

Researchers working at the Queen Mary University in the United Kingdom found that people who live in areas with heavily polluted air experience changes in their heart that increase the risk of heart disease. More specifically, researchers say that people who are exposed to high levels of air pollution experience enlarged hearts -- their hearts literally become bigger. Unfortunately, this increases the risk of disease, heart attack and even heart failure.

For the study, researchers analyzed health data involving roughly 4,000 men and women who participated in the U.K. Biobank study. As part of the study, participants were required to submit personal information about their lifestyle, health, location and more. Participants were also required to submit blood tests and MRIs so that researchers could better analyze their heart health.

The study's lead researcher explains that people with preexisting heart conditions have larger hearts. This is because stress causes a person's blood pressure to increase, thereby forcing the heart to become larger. If left unchecked, an enlarged heart may fail.

"We know that people with heart failure or people who are developing heart failure, their heart will undergo changes, and one of the changes is they become larger,” said the study's lead author. “When they become larger, that means that the heart is under stress, so the only way to accommodate this increased pressure and volume is to become larger. If you don’t treat or reverse that change, in the long run the heart may fail."

Unfortunately, you can't avoid all sources of air pollution. Whether you live in the city or outside the city, there's probably at least some pollution in the air. The key thing to remember is that you need to minimize your exposure to this pollution. If there's a smog alert in effect, consider spending less time indoors. And if you're driving during a smog alert, keep your car windows rolled up at all time.