If you live in the countryside, you might think you are safe from the detrimental health impacts of air pollution. However, new research has found that as little as five days of exposure can significantly increase your risk of stroke.
Air pollution is steadily becoming one of the biggest threats to our cardiovascular health, accounting for roughly 17 percent of strokes worldwide. But while previous studies have established the relationship between long-term exposure and stroke risk, the dangers of short-term exposure were less explored.
In a recent study, published in the journal Neurology, researchers from the University of Jordan in the capital Amman aimed to answer this question to see how even short-term exposure could impact human health.
"We analyzed data from 18,035,408 cases of ischemic stroke from 110 observational studies from all over the world," study author Ahmad Toubasi told Newsweek. "We found out that increase in air pollution is associated with increase in both ischemic stroke risk and its related mortality."
The team looked at the risks associated with different pollutants—such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide—as well as different sizes of the particulate matter that can be found in air pollution.
"Our findings showed that exposure to pollution for a short time (5 days) can affect ischemic stroke risk," Toubasi said. "So a vacation to an area with high air pollution level might impact our health."
Different pollutants have different effects on the body so mechanisms behind this increased stroke risk may vary on location. "The association between short-term exposure to pollutants and ischemic stroke as well as cardiovascular diseases was attributed to several mechanisms," Toubasi said.
These include damage to the lining of the blood vessels, increases in blood pressure and an increased risk of blood clotting. Each of these factors can limit blood flow to the brain, increasing stroke risk. Toubasi also notes an increased risk of irregular heartbeat, which can also cause clots or air bubbles in the brain's blood vessels.
It is unclear whether this increased risk is permanent or only temporary after a short visit to a polluted area and further research is needed to determine whether these effects are reversable. Either way, more needs to be done to reduce air pollution exposure for city dwellers and visitors.
"The matter definitely needs global initiatives to reduce the air pollution worldwide," Toubasi said. "Doing so may reduce the number of strokes and their consequences."
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Pandora Dewan is a Senior Science Reporter at Newsweek based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health ... Read more
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