By Jennifer Lilonsky (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Feb 20, 2013 10:00 PM EST

A large study from Texas suggests that when air pollution levels are high, especially with soot-like particles and ozone, cardiac arrests are more likely.

Heart disease and medical conditions involving the lungs have long been attributed to air quality, but the new findings suggest that ozone levels may play a part in a person's risk for experiencing cardiac arrest.

"Heart patients should consider when there are high ozone levels that they should take extra care of themselves," Katherine Ensor of Rice University in Houston and the study's lead author, told Reuters Health.

Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating and is therefore unable to pump blood to the rest of the body and is caused by electrical problems with the heart, sudden trauma or a pre-existing condition, according to Reuters Health. An average of 300,000 Americans fall victim to cardiac arrest each year and only less than ten percent survive.

The study compared data from cardiac arrest cases that occurred outside of hospitals in Houston with air quality records from 2004 to 2011.

And researchers found that out of the more than 11,000 cardiac arrests that occurred without an otherwise obvious cause like sudden trauma, a slight increase was detected when ozone levels were recorded as abnormally high.

The study, published in the journal Circulation, found that the risk of cardiac arrest increased by 4.4 percent for every 20 parts per billion of ozone above average within the previous three hours.

And the team of researchers also found a similar increase in the risk of cardiac arrest when small-particle pollution was recorded.

Cardiac arrests increased by 4.6 percent for every increase of 6 micrograms of fine particulates per cubic meter of air within the previous two days.

Although more remains to be studied to determine exactly why air pollution affects the heart, some of the evidence suggests that the particulates in the air cause inflammation after entering through the respiratory system and then causing stress on the muscle.

Ensor said that while it is too soon to make recommendations based on the study's findings, the ultimate goal of the research is to establish advanced warning systems that would alert policymakers and physicians who work with high risk patients and to produce ozone forecasts so that the public is aware of the risk.

"On high ozone days or high particulate days should we tell people at high risk to stay inside? If your grandma has heart problems, maybe keep her inside today," said Dr. Sasson of the University of Colorado who was not involved in the study.

(SOURCE)

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