Pollution

Pollution link to irregular heartbeat and lung clotting

pollution

Air pollution is linked to increased risk of developing an irregular heartbeat and blood clots in the lung, research suggests. The impact of air pollution on the risk of heart attack and stroke is less clear, say UK experts.

Analysis of data from England and Wales shows air pollution is particularly harmful in the elderly. Further research is needed on pollution and cardiovascular health, says the British Heart Foundation.

A team at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine analysed data collected in England and Wales between 2003 and 2009 on links between cardiovascular problems and short-term air pollution.

They found short-term air pollution was linked to arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) and blood clots in the lung. The strongest link was in the over-75s and in women, lead researcher Dr Ai Milojevic told.

“Our study found some evidence of air pollution effects on irregular heart beat (arrhythmia) but no clear evidence on heart attack (Myocardial Infarction) and stroke which represents ultimately blood clotting process[es],” she said.

“Elderly people and hospital patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease or irregular heart beat are observed to be at particular risk.”

Commenting on the study, published in the journal, Heart, the British Heart Foundation said previous studies had shown air pollution could make existing heart and circulatory conditions, including heart attacks, worse in vulnerable people.

“This research adds weight to what we already know, but goes further to suggest a link between air pollution and an increased risk of blood clots in the lungs and heart rhythm atrial fibrillation,” said Julie Ward, senior cardiac nurse.

“But, as with many studies, we do need to look at the bigger picture and, although this is a large comprehensive study, it did have its limitations. “We do, therefore, recognise that further research into exactly how air pollution particles affect the cardiovascular system needs to be carried out.”

Seven million people died as a result of air pollution in 2012, according to World Health Organization estimates. Its findings suggest a link between air pollution and heart disease, respiratory problems and cancer.

Source: bbc

Reverse signs of ageing with healthy lifestyle

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Wrinkles, hyper pigmentation and greying hair add decades to your chronological age. Though many cosmetic companies assure you of reversing the signs of early ageing, are they enough to compensate for the wear-and-tear of the cells caused by years of living a sedentary and unhealthy lifestyle and exposure to ultraviolet rays and pollutants?

What is premature ageing?
Ageing is a natural phenomenon occurring due to the interplay between genetic, metabolic and environmental factors. The rate of ageing is an actively regulated metabolic process and so is not fixed. Premature ageing refers to the unnatural acceleration of the natural process of ageing. Possession of certain unfavorable genetic variants and/or an unhealthy lifestyle can become the cause of premature ageing, reflecting the importance of your well being both from the inside and the outside.

What are the factors that speed up the process?
Skin health correlates with the genetic makeup and metabolic condition, and is influenced by environmental and lifestyle-related factors like nutrition, exercise, personal habits and stress. Our body cells are exposed to the damage provoked by external and internal stressors including heat, radiation, pollution, genetic variations, excess glucose, oxygen free radicals, and collagen breakdown among others. The rate at which we age is determined by the ability of our body cells to cope with this damage.

What are the lifestyle changes that can help delay the ageing process?
A healthy lifestyle can postpone the visible signs of skin ageing and favorably influence the longevity of the skin. So focus on a balanced diet, drink lots of natural fluids and make sure that your day doesn’t end without an adequate intake of fruits and vegetables. A simple pranayama or yoga for a few minutes can relax your mind, while easy floor exercises and brisk walking can contribute to your fitness level. Indeed, the inside of the body must always be made to work in tandem with the outside of the body.

How does one understand that the body is ageing faster compared to the chronological age?
Skin changes are amongst the most visible signs of ageing. Skin ageing is evidenced by wrinkles, age spots, dryness and sagging. Ageing skin appears thinner, less plump, more pale, and translucent; and it repairs itself more slowly than younger skin. Overt signs of premature ageing as noticed by one’s self, or by comments on our appearance from others, tell a lot about our ageing tendency. But a genetic assessment on age-regulating genes can provide strong insights on ageing rate.

What is the role of gender in the ageing process? Do women age faster than men?
Dermis (the skin layer lodging skin-firmness protein, collagen) in men is much thicker than in women, hence men have a higher collagen density. As collagen relates to skin ageing signs, assumedly a woman’s skin appears about 15 years older than a man of the same age. Men seldom use sunscreens; hence UV damage negates the benefits of slowed intrinsic ageing in men, shadowing the noticeable difference.

How can understanding genetics help age better?
You are unique, so is your skin. Though the human genome sequence is 99.6% identical in all people, a small genetic change, or variation, that occurs within a person`s DNA sequence can have an impact on his/her health. Genetic assessment will give you a clear picture of your genetic information in relation to your health condition and ageing pattern. The skin might exhibit similar signs of ageing from the outside, but from the inside its genetic and metabolic regulations stand unique. Managing genetic risks for premature ageing by appropriate lifestyle changes can help us age better.

Source: Zee news

Polluted air linked to 7 million deaths in 2012: WHO

Air pollution killed about 7 million people in 2012, making it the world`s single biggest environmental health risk, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.

The toll, a doubling of previous estimates, means one in eight of all global deaths in 2012 was linked to polluted air and shows how reducing pollution inside and outside of people`s homes could save millions of lives in future, the United Nations health agency said.

Air pollution deaths are most commonly from heart disease, strokes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is also linked to deaths from lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

“The evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe,” said Maria Neira, head of the WHO`s environmental and social public health department.

“The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes,” she said.

Poor and middle-income countries in southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region had the largest air pollution-related burden in 2012, with 3.3 million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths to outdoor air pollution.

Indoor pollution is mostly caused by cooking over coal, wood and biomass stoves. The WHO estimates that around 2.9 billion people worldwide live in homes using wood, coal or dung as their primary cooking fuel.

Flavia Bustreo, a WHO family health expert, said women and children – especially those living in poor countries – often bear the brunt of the risks from indoor pollution “since they spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from leaky coal and wood cooking stoves.”

Outdoors, air is mainly polluted by transport, power generation, industrial and agricultural emissions and residential heating and cooking.

Research suggests outdoor air pollution exposure levels have risen significantly in some parts of the world, particularly in countries with large populations going through rapid industrialisation, such as China and India.

The WHO`s cancer research agency IARC published a report last year warning that the air we breathe is laced with cancer-causing substances and should be officially classified as carcinogenic to humans.

Carlos Dora, a WHO public health expert, called on governments and health agencies to act on the evidence and devise policies to reduce air pollution, which in turn would improve health and reduce humans` impact on climate change

“Excessive air pollution is often a by-product of unsustainable policies in sectors such as transport, energy, waste management and industry,” he said.

“In most cases, healthier strategies will also be more economical in the long term due to healthcare cost savings as well as climate gains.”

Source: Zee news