A recent U.S. study published by the New England Journal of Medicine has found significant links between small particle air pollution and heart disease and strokes in women. The researchers were based at the University of Washington and used data provided from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study involving 65,893 women in and around 36 U.S. cities. Of major importance in the WHI study was the establishment of a stronger statistical association between fine particulate air pollution and death from coronary heart disease than that found in previous studies.

The average particulate levels in the study ranged from about 4 micrograms to almost 20 micrograms per cubic meter. The researchers found that each 10 microgram rise was matched by a 76% increase in the chances of death from heart disease or stroke. Many of these particles are so tiny that it would take over 2 dozen to equal the thickness of a human hair.

It has long been known that particulates can contribute to lung and heart disease, with women perhaps more susceptible than men to heart problems because of their smaller blood vessels and other biological differences. Researchers believe that when dirty air is inhaled, invisible pollutants can become embedded in the lungs or travel through the bloodstream. They may then harden arteries or cause inflammation leading to cardiac disease or stroke. Unlike earlier studies, this one looked not just at deaths, but also at heart attacks, coronary disease, strokes and clogged arteries. In their calculations, the researchers tried to adjust for lower income and other health problems that have been blamed for the higher rates of disease in past studies.

Indoor air quality professionals have known for years that fine particulate air pollution can cause respiratory problems, especially in infants, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. The Environmental Protection Agency tightened its daily limit on exposure to fine particulates in September 2006, but left the annual limit at a concentration of 15 millionths of a gram for every cubic meter of air. Many health professionals and air quality experts felt that the new EPA rules didn’t go far enough to protect the public. Several environmental groups and individual states sued the EPA last year for disregarding advice from its own scientists regarding tighter rules on fine particulate matter. The EPA’s Air Quality Index provides daily updates, including fine particle pollution and can be found at http://airnow.gov/

Although there isn’t much you can do about outdoor air pollution, indoor air quality is something you can have control over. Commercial air cleaners are not just for businesses, they have residential applications as well. For example, the SE-400 can remove large quantities of airborne particles that enter your home. The unit features a tightly woven aluminum mesh pre-filter that first removes large particles. Next, the smaller particles are trapped by the collector cells, which collect the particles like strong magnets. Help reduce the threat to your health from fine particulate matter by using superior commercial air cleaners.

Air pollution effects greatly human health, mainly the respiratory and cardiovascular system. The individual reactions to air pollutants vary depending on the type of agent to which people are exposed, the degree of exposure and health conditions, and genetic factor of the person. Air pollutants can cause variety of effects on health, ranging from biochemical and physiological changes to breathing difficulties, cough, and aggravation of respiratory and cardiac disorders. It left untreated, those medical conditions may result in hospitalizations and even premature death. Effects of air pollution on human Respiratory system The quality of the Air we breathe affects the quality of our health. Air quality has an impact on the health of our lungs and the entire respiratory system. In addition to oxygen, the air contains other substances such as pollutants, which can be harmful to health. The inhalation of those pollutants may have harmful effects on the lungs and other organs of the body. The respiratory system is particularly sensitive to air pollutants because it is made up of a mucous membrane covering its internal surface. The lungs are designed to absorb large amounts of air (400 million liters on average over a lifetime) in close contact with the bloodstream and facilitate the transport of oxygen. The cells of the lung tissue can be damaged by air pollutants such as ozone, metals and free radicals. Ozone can cause damage to the alveoli – air sac in the lungs where exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is produced. More specifically, the airway tissues, which contain a large number of bioactivation enzymes, can transform organic pollutants into reactive metabolites, which can cause lung injuries, neurobehavioral disorders, and cancers possibly including breast cancer. Effects of air pollution on human cardiovascular system Air pollutants, once inhaled, are absorbed by the blood and transported to the heart. A wide range of chemical and biological substances can directly affect the cardiovascular system and lead to structural damages, such as necrosis degenerative and inflammatory reactions. Some pollutants may also affect contractility of the heart. If these functional changes are sufficiently serious, they can cause fatal arrhythmias. The changes in the organic systems may also have effects on the endocrine system. Some cytokines released by other inflamed organs (due to air pollutants) may also produce negative effects on the cardio-vascular, including the reduction of the mechanical performance and metabolic efficiency of the heart and blood vessels. What can you do? We have responded to today’s market demands with a full line of air filtration systems for residential, commercial and automotive applications. Our air cleaner products provide indoor volume air filtration from 20 CFM to 1200 CFM with significant reduction of Particulates, Biologicals and Volatile Organic Compounds. To learn more about our air cleaner products, visit our amaircare air purifier website.