A large Danish study found that repeated spikes in fine air pollution (PM2.5) over many years do not increase the risk of major heart problems in older men.
Published in the Journal of Cardiology, the research analyzed data from over 26,000 men aged 65 to 74 and tracked their exposure to pollution peaks and heart-related events like strokes and heart attacks.
While air pollution is known to harm heart health, this study focused on whether repeated monthly spikes in PM2.5 raised risk. The results showed no significant connection after accounting for other factors like smoking and body weight.
This suggests that long-term, steady exposure to pollution may be more important for heart risk than occasional high pollution days.
Researchers used detailed air pollution models combined with health records to track pollution levels at participants’ homes from 1979 to 2019. Although those who had heart events were exposed to higher pollution peaks, the study found no clear increase in risk linked to these spikes.
The study’s authors note that the findings mainly apply to older men in Denmark, where pollution levels are relatively low. More research is needed in other groups and areas with higher pollution to fully understand the effects.
This study highlights the complex relationship between air pollution and heart health, emphasizing the need to focus on reducing overall pollution exposure to protect cardiovascular health.
