New research shows ground-level ozone can cause health problems linked to heart disease.
Ground-level ozone is formed when pollution from cars, industrial plants and consumer products react in sunlight.
People in the study were exposed to this pollution for two hours, resulting inflamed blood vessels, a potential lower ability to dissolve blood clots and a change in the nervous system that controls heart rate.
Every year around 2 million people worldwide die because of exposure to air pollution. The elderly and people with heart disease are most at risk. You can limit the ozone you breathe by avoiding or limiting outdoor activity when air-quality is poor.
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Related Information:
- American Heart Association News Release
- The American Heart Association’s information about air pollution and heart disease.
- The Environmental Protection Agency’s recommendations to reduce ozone exposure: http://airnow.gov/
Researcher Information:
Robert B. Devlin, Ph.D., lead author and senior scientist at the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory in Research Triangle Park, N.C.
Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net
