Car pollution a major risk factor for fatal heart attack

People living close to a busy major road are more likely to die from a sudden heart attack because of the pollution the cars generate.

Those living closest to a busy road are most at risk, say researchers from Harvard Medical School. People living within 50 meters, or 164 feet, of a major road have a 38 per cent increased chance of dying from a sudden heart attack compared to those living at least 500 meters, or 0.3 miles, away. The risk increases 6 per cent for every 100 meters, or 328 feet, someone lives closer to a busy road.

Car pollution is right up there as a risk factor for heart disease alongside age, race, cigarette smoking, a lack of exercise and a poor diet, say the researchers.

(Source: Circulation, 2014; doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.011489)

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