The European Union declared 2013 the Year of Air, but air pollution remains a global problem and public health issue
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A woman takes photographs of the city skyline filled with smog at the Marina Bay Waterfront on June 20, 2013 in Singapore. Photograph: Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images
You probably rarely stop to think about how clean the air you breathe is. The truth is, air pollution poses a significant threat to your health, and more and more studies are emerging to demonstrate its connection to poor health outcomes, with the most recent being heart failure.
In January, the European Union (EU) declared 2013 the Year of Air, and planned to focus on actions to improve air quality across the EU. Although numerous steps have been made to control emissions of harmful substances over recent years, the burning of fossil fuels and the dramatic rise in road traffic, means the problem still very much remains.
To put it quickly into context, air pollution is now cited as the main cause of lung conditions, such as asthma, and is estimated to cause 1.3 million deaths worldwide per year.
A systematic review, published in The Lancet, has demonstrated a strong association between exposure to air pollution and admissions to hospital with heart failure or death from heart failure. The researchers estimated that reducing average daily concentrations of particulate matter, a type of air pollutant, by 3.9mcg/m3 would prevent around 8,000 hospitalisations for heart failure every year in the US.
The study, which pooled the results of 35 observational studies, found an association between short-term increases in particulate matter and the risk of hospitalisation and death for congestive heart failure. In those patients who already had chronic heart congestion, hypertension or arrhythmia, the effect of air pollution was even more evident.
And it's not just those who already have existing heart conditions that may be affected by air pollution. Recent research has suggested that air pollution also plays a role in the development of the condition. The study found that long-term exposure to air pollution, particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, was associated with an increased risk of heart failure.
But what is being done to address this? As populations grow and the percentage of people who live in cities increases, how can we protect them? Surely the public should be alerted when pollution levels are high? And I'm not talking about waiting until it reaches a crisis level, such as we witnessed in Singapore earlier this year. Studies are revealing again and again that people are still at risk from air pollution, despite air quality limit values being in place.
The European Respiratory Society's ten principles for clean air state: "citizens are entitled to clean air, just like clean water and safe food". The need to reduce air pollution has been recognised but is 2013 the Year of Air? Figures and statistics are yet to confirm this, but my gut feeling is that we still have a long way to go.
Dr Paul Zollinger-Read, chief medical officer, Bupa
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/air-breath-damaging-heart
In January, the European Union (EU) declared 2013 the Year of Air, and planned to focus on actions to improve air quality across the EU. Although numerous steps have been made to control emissions of harmful substances over recent years, the burning of fossil fuels and the dramatic rise in road traffic, means the problem still very much remains.
To put it quickly into context, air pollution is now cited as the main cause of lung conditions, such as asthma, and is estimated to cause 1.3 million deaths worldwide per year.
The link to heart failure
It's well known that air pollution is a risk factor for poor cardiovascular health. Studies have already demonstrated its link to heart attacks. However, only recently has air pollution been linked to heart failure, making it worse in those who already have it, as well as contributing to the development of the condition.A systematic review, published in The Lancet, has demonstrated a strong association between exposure to air pollution and admissions to hospital with heart failure or death from heart failure. The researchers estimated that reducing average daily concentrations of particulate matter, a type of air pollutant, by 3.9mcg/m3 would prevent around 8,000 hospitalisations for heart failure every year in the US.
The study, which pooled the results of 35 observational studies, found an association between short-term increases in particulate matter and the risk of hospitalisation and death for congestive heart failure. In those patients who already had chronic heart congestion, hypertension or arrhythmia, the effect of air pollution was even more evident.
And it's not just those who already have existing heart conditions that may be affected by air pollution. Recent research has suggested that air pollution also plays a role in the development of the condition. The study found that long-term exposure to air pollution, particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, was associated with an increased risk of heart failure.
Is enough being done?
Many studies have shown that living or attending a school close to a busy road can have an adverse effect on health. In adults, high levels of air pollution from busy roads can increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, and in children, increase the risk of asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems.But what is being done to address this? As populations grow and the percentage of people who live in cities increases, how can we protect them? Surely the public should be alerted when pollution levels are high? And I'm not talking about waiting until it reaches a crisis level, such as we witnessed in Singapore earlier this year. Studies are revealing again and again that people are still at risk from air pollution, despite air quality limit values being in place.
A global problem
Although the studies discussed concern Europe, air pollution is a global problem in both developing and developed regions of the world. It's a public health issue that should remain a key target for global health policies. We need to consider other sources of energy for cars, and both industry and domestic use. Air pollution has now reached a level where we need to use alternative energy options on a grander scale; electricity, wind energy or nuclear energy, instead of fossil fuels.The European Respiratory Society's ten principles for clean air state: "citizens are entitled to clean air, just like clean water and safe food". The need to reduce air pollution has been recognised but is 2013 the Year of Air? Figures and statistics are yet to confirm this, but my gut feeling is that we still have a long way to go.
Dr Paul Zollinger-Read, chief medical officer, Bupa
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/air-breath-damaging-heart
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