Millions in the UK may be at greater risk of heart problems, according to research blaming poor air quality | The Impact of Polluted Air on Heart Health

Millions of people in the UK are exposed to a greater risk of heart failure and stroke due to the poor quality of air in their living areas. According to a study, individuals residing in the most polluted regions in the UK have a 27% increased likelihood of developing heart failure and a 7% increased risk of suffering a stroke compared to those living in less polluted areas. These findings were announced at the European Society of Cardiology conference held in Madrid. The lead author of the study, Ghita Housni from the William Harvey research institute at Queen Mary University of London, emphasized that cleaner air correlates with healthier hearts and stressed the importance of reducing exposure to air pollution to prevent heart ailments. The decade-long study included 299,323 participants and used data from the UK Biobank study to analyze the average levels of PM2.5 in their respective living areas. The researchers discovered that those living in the top 10% of areas with the highest PM2.5 pollution faced a 27% increased risk of developing heart failure and a 7% higher risk of having a stroke. For every additional microgram of PM2.5 in the air, the risk of heart failure increased by 7% and the risk of stroke rose by 3%. There was also a slightly higher risk of heart attacks with increased PM2.5, although this correlation was not statistically significant. The harmful effects of PM2.5 on the body are attributed to inflammation, high blood pressure, and weakened heart functioning over time. The study had adjusted for various factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, and lifestyle to account for possible confounding variables. The results also indicate that one extra person in every 100 experiences a stroke in the most polluted areas compared to the cleanest areas, and another two people in every 100 develop heart failure in the dirtiest air. While air pollution in the UK has decreased over the past decade, safety limits are still surpassed, highlighting the need for further reduction in pollution levels to prevent premature heart diseases.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/sep/08/millions-of-britons-face-higher-risk-of-heart-failure-due-to-dirty-air-study-suggests