Air pollution contributes to clogged arteries. New research

More than 11,000 adult patients from three Toronto hospitals participated in the study. The researchers analyzed the condition of their heart arteries using chest CT scans and assessed their level of exposure to air pollution based on environmental data and the participants’ residential addresses. The findings showed that each additional microgram per cubic meter of long-term exposure to fine airborne particles was associated with an 11% increase in the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries, a 13% increase in the likelihood of atherosclerotic plaque formation and a 23% increase in the risk of heart disease caused by clogged arteries.

The scientists noted that exposure to nitrogen dioxide, another common pollutant, produced similar results, although less pronounced. Differences in response to pollution were also found between men and women.