Yesterday, NPR reported that the Heart Associated has made a connection between air pollution and heart attacks. Air pollution has already been linked to many other health problems. The American Heart Association reviewed several studies from the last six years. From the research, the AHA concluded that air pollution can cause a heart attack as well as many other heart problems. Scientists believe that when air pollutants are inhaled, they cause inflammation in the lungs, and set off a series of negative changes in the body.   

“We can say for (the) first time that the evidence is consistent enough now to say that there’s a causal relationship between air pollution exposure and cardiovascular disease,” says Dr. Robert Brook cardiovascular specialist and professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. “We have a greater number, quality and depth of epidemiological studies that show stronger linkage than we previously thought.”

Air pollution can trigger heart attacks even in seemingly healthy adults, says Brook. “Even if they otherwise are healthy, a short-term exposure over a few hours or over a few days is able to cause instability and then trigger heart attacks or strokes,” he says.

The study can be found here.

The fight for Environmental Justice is very important, especially in low-income, communities of color like Wilmington. This is where most people suffer from health problems because of pollution, but do not see the benefits of the industrial economy. To find out what you can do about air pollution in our community, visit Communities for a Better Environment in Wilmington.

CBE offers toxic tours that inform and educate the public about how they can protect their health.