A new study from China indicates that scorching temperatures together with high levels of air pollution greatly increase the likelihood of older adults suffering a fatal heart attack.
Published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, the study showed that the chance of dying from a heart attack could be twice as high on days with both extremely hot temperatures and high levels of fine particulate matter pollution.
Very cold weather can also increase the risks of fatal heart attacks.
Dr. Yuewei Liu, the main researcher on the study and a teacher at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, expressed growing concern about the health effects of extreme temperatures.
He explained that pollution in the air can make the effects of extreme temperatures even worse for heart health.
The study’s findings suggest that reducing exposure to extreme temperatures and fine particulate pollution can help prevent early deaths from heart attacks, especially in women and older adults.
Sources of Fine Particulate Matter Pollution
Fine particulate matter pollution comes from burning stuff like fuel. This can be exhaust from cars, smoke from factories, and even smoke from wildfires.
These particles are tiny, smaller than 2.5 microns, and can be easily breathed deep into our lungs. This can irritate the lungs and the blood vessels around the heart.
Previous studies have connected exposure to this kind of pollution with heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.
Study Specifics
The research team looked at data for over 200,000 heart attack deaths that happened between 2015 and 2020 in Jiangsu province, a coastal region in eastern China. The average age of the people who died was almost 78.
The researchers measured the pollution levels on the day of and day before each death. They defined high pollution levels as any day where the average exceeded 37.5 micrograms per cubic meter.
They measured extreme temperatures using the daily heat index, which considers both heat and humidity. A heat wave was defined as temperatures of 82.6 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for two or more days.
The researchers found that during four-day heat waves with pollution levels above 37.5 micrograms per cubic meter, the risk of a fatal heart attack was twice as high as on normal days.
During two-day heat waves, when temperatures were between 82.6 and 97.9 degrees Fahrenheit, the risk was 18% higher.
During four-day heat waves, when the heat index reached between 94.8 and 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit, the risk was 74% higher.
Cold weather also increased heart attack risk. During two-day cold snaps with temperatures between 33.3 to 40.5 degrees, the risk was 4% higher.
During three-day cold snaps when temperatures were between 27 to 37.2 degrees, the risk was 12% higher. However, unlike hot weather, cold weather did not have an additional risk when combined with pollution.
The study also found that on days with heat waves, cold snaps, and high levels of pollution, the risk of a heart attack was higher among women than men, and higher in people aged 80 and older compared to younger adults.
Prevention Measures
To protect your health from extreme temperatures and high pollution, Dr. Liu suggested watching the weather forecasts and staying inside when temperatures are extreme.
You can use fans and air conditioners to stay cool, dress properly for the weather, stay hydrated, and use window blinds to keep indoor temperatures down.
He also recommended using an indoor air purifier, wearing a mask outdoors, avoiding busy highways when walking, and choosing less strenuous outdoor activities to avoid the risk associated with high levels of pollution.
Dr. Liu emphasized the importance of considering fine particulate pollution when giving out public warnings about extreme temperatures. His findings show how closely our health is linked to our environment.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease and calcium supplements could harm your heart health.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about when an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks is too risky, and results showing daytime naps could help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
The study was published in Circulation.
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