Spike in Air Pollution Linked to Heart Arrhythmias, Study Finds
A groundbreaking study has uncovered a frightening link between air pollution and heart arrhythmias. According to the research, which analyzed nearly 200,000 hospital admissions in China, an increase in air pollution levels significantly increases the risk of arrhythmias, which can ultimately lead to heart disease and sudden cardiac death. What is the Study? The study, which looked at patients suffering from sudden onset arrhythmia, including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, premature beats, and supraventricular tachycardia, found that air pollution in China exceeded the World Health Organization’s guidelines for air quality . The researchers examined the concentrations of six air pollutants from monitoring stations closest to the reporting hospitals, with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) showing the strongest association with all four types of arrhythmia. Dr. Renjie Chen of Fudan University in Shanghai, who led the study, explained that the risk of symptomatic arrhythmia occurred duri...