Car Fumes Can Trigger Heart Attacks !!

Breathing in heavy traffic fumes can trigger a heart attack, say UK experts 
(from BBC, September 21st, 2011).

Heart attack risk is raised for about six hours post-exposure and goes down again after that, researchers found.
They say in the British Medical Journal that pollution probably hastens rather than directly cause attacks.
But repeated exposure is still bad for health, they say, substantially shortening life expectancy, and so the advice to people remains the same - avoid as far as is possible.
Prof Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, which co-funded the study, said: "This large-scale study shows conclusively that your risk of having a heart attack goes up temporarily, for around six hours, after breathing in higher levels of vehicle exhaust.

"We know that pollution can have a major effect on your heart health, possibly because it can 'thicken' the blood to make it more likely to clot, putting you at higher risk of a heart attack.

"Our advice to patients remains the same - if you've been diagnosed with heart disease, try to avoid spending long periods outside in areas where there are likely to be high traffic pollution levels, such as on or near busy roads."
Early peakThe research looked at the medical records of almost 80,000 heart attack patients in England and Wales, cross-referencing these details with air pollution data.
This enabled the investigators to plot hourly levels of air pollution (PM10, ozone, CO, NO2, and SO2) against onset of heart attack symptoms and see if there was any link.
Higher levels of air pollution did appear to be linked with onset of a heart attack lasting for six hours after exposure.
After this time frame, risk went back down again.
Krishnan Bhaskaran from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the research, said the findings suggested that pollution was not a major contributing factor to heart attacks.
For example, being exposed to a spell of medium-level rather than low-level pollution would raise heart attack risk by 5%, by his calculations.
"If anything, it looks like it brings heart attack forward by a few hours. These are cardiac events that probably would have happened anyway."
But he said the findings should not detract from the fact that chronic exposure to air pollution was hazardous to health.
Prof Pearson from the BHF agrees: "Unhealthy diets and smoking etc are much bigger heart attack risk factors, but car fumes are the cream on the cake that can tip you over."

Air Pollution Vs traffic mess

86% of respondents in Beijing, 87% in Shenzhen, 70% in New Delhi and 61% in Nairobi said traffic was a key inhibitor to their work or school performance. Meanwhile 67% of drivers in Mexico City, 63% in Shenzhen and New Delhi and 61% in Beijing said they’d decided against a car trip in the last month due to anticipated traffic

smoke

CSE's Press Release: Dialogue on Air Pollution and our health

octors warn: We need to act fast to breathe easy

Noted doctors, health researchers and air quality regulators met in the capital today to warn that cities may wake up to more wheeze and other ailments if health concerns are not heeded for air pollution control.

Dialogue exposed mounting evidences on health effect of air pollution in India and abroad that must drive policy action.

CSE review shows most studies in India have been done by doctors; they have tracked newer health risk of newer air quality challenges.

Air quality regulators must take note of these findings and immediately set the post 2010 emissions standards for vehicles to cut emissions at source; upgrade public transport, and restrain cars.

New Delhi, August 31, 2011: All of us who travel on urban roads regularly and those who live close to roads, are at a serious health risk from vehicular air pollution. And according to estimates, about 55 per cent of Delhi’s population lives within 500 metre from such roads – and is therefore, prone to a variety of physical disorders.

This was one of the key arguments put forth at a Dialogue between doctors, air quality regulators and civil society representatives, organised here today by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), in association with the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Participants in the Dialogue included the secretary, Department of Health Research; director general, ICMR; secretary, Union ministry of environment and forests; members of the IMA; international health experts; members of the Supreme Court’s Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA); and doctors from key facilities such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Sciences and Research, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, Chest Research Foundation (Pune), Heart Care Foundation, and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (Chandigarh).

The participants in the Dialogue made a strong plea for integration of health information into decision-making on air pollution control.

Stunning evidences
The Dialogue brought to light new dramatic evidences of how much we inhale while traveling in Delhi. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have traveled in auto-rickshaws during the months of February and May 2010, on a fixed route in south Delhi. They measured the actual particle concentration inside the vehicle while moving with the traffic – and found that commuters breathe far more harmful particles inside vehicles while traveling compared to the ambient concentration. The PM2.5 concentrations inside vehicles can be 1.5 times higher than the surrounding background air; ultra-fine levels are about 8.5 times higher.

CSE review of health studies on air pollution, and what it has found

New studies, new evidences: Over the last two decades, consistent efforts have been made in Indian cities to assess the health impacts of air pollution. The mega cities, most polluted during the 80s-90s took the lead to study health effects, though studies are also going on in other cities such as Bikaner, Amritsar, Varanasi, Puducherry, Mandi-Gobindgarh and Kanpur.

Doctors drove these studies: 53 per cent of the studies in India have been carried out by doctors themselves, who understand our health and whose evidences can help change policies.

Looking beyond lungs to other health effects: Studies are dominated by the focus on respiratory symptoms. But in the recent years, more diverse health end points – cardiac cases, cancer, mutagenic effects, etc have been taken into account. Though this investigation in India is still nascent, global studies have shown more robust linkages with a wide range of health endpoints – diabetes, stroke, hyper tension, effects on brain, effects on fetus etc.

Children and air pollution: Children are especially vulnerable to urban air pollution. A 2010 study of Chittaranjan National Cancer Research Institute (CNCI) shows respiratory symptoms in 32% of children examined in Delhi, in contrast to only 18.2% of the rural children. Lung function is reduced in 43.5% school children in Delhi. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been noticed in children chronically exposed to high level of vehicular pollution (CNCI 2010). PM10 was positively and strongly associated with ADHD prevalence. Air pollution even affects vitamin D status of infants and toddlers in Delhi (2002).

Serious concern over growing burden of non-communicable diseases in India and environmental health risks: According to the recent estimates from the World Bank, non-communicable diseases(NCD) impose the largest health burden in India. In terms of the number of lives lost due to ill-health, disability, and early death, NCDs accounts for 62% of the total disease burden. Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases, and diabetes are the major NCDs in India. A range of factors including genetic, and lifestyle may contribute but as a public policy the role of the environmental risks should be minimised.

Globally, studies are being carried out to understand the link between non-communicable diseases and air pollution. Toxic PAH is also known to affect the fetus. India needs to strengthen this line of enquiry.

Worries about growing toxic risk: Given the fact that endpoint of all toxic risk is cancer, all environmental risk factors should be minimized. India reports more than 700,000 new cancer cases and National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) forecasts that by 2026, more than 1.4 million people will be falling in the grip of the disease. NCCP has listed greater exposure to environmental carcinogens as one of the most important reasons. Though there is not one factor – air pollution is one of the important one.

India is motorising at a level that can compound health risks, due to technology and low fuel quality. There are special concerns about growing use of poor quality diesel. Diesel exhaust includes a large number of toxic compounds that cause cancer, reproductive abnormalities and other toxic impacts.

More interest in how much we inhale. Researchers are looking not just at the effect of the ambient air quality – which is the quality of the surrounding air – but at the actual exposure – how much we inhale in proximity to a source like traffic.

Such evidences have serious implications for the road users, public transport users, walkers and cyclists.

Special concern over traffic pollution: Cities have many sources of outdoor air pollution and all require mitigation action. In the future cities will witness rapid increase in vehicular traffic. Vehicular emissions contribute to significant human exposure. Pollution concentration in our breathe is 3-4 times higher than the ambient air concentration.

International agencies have tracked the effect of polluted air on illnesses and premature deaths in Indian cities. The US based Health Effect Institute study in Delhi estimates approx.0.15% to 0.17% increase in mortality per 10 μg/m3 PM10 (~0.3%/ 20 μg/m3). In Delhi where overall deaths are 100,000 annually even this increase can translate into 3000 additional premature deaths annually due to air pollution related diseases.

Studies of massive scale carried out in other parts of the world prove beyond doubt that air pollution has definite and insidious health effects: Studies of this nature and scale have not been possible in India yet.

Act now to reduce exposure and toxic risk

India cannot afford to ignore the ominous evidences any more. We will have to take action now to reverse the trend of short term as well as the long term toxic effects.

Stringency and pace of action should be guided by the health risks consideration. The ongoing preparation for the 12th five year plan, expansion of the air quality monitoring programme, city initiatives on clean air action plans, framing of the post-2010 emissions regulations for vehicles are the opportunities to integrate health criteria to make air quality management more relevant to public health.

Set targets to meet air quality standards in cities: Enforce National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The central assistance to states for implementation of the city action plan for clean air should be linked with the implementation of pollution control measures. For this verifiable benchmark and monitoring system should be developed.

Strategy for vehicular pollution control: It is unacceptable that while health risks are increasing the post 2010 emissions standards roadmap for vehicles have not been decided yet. The phase in of tighter emissions standards of Euro V/VI nationwide by the end of 12 five year period needs to be brought about. Ultra-low sulphur diesel along with advanced emissions control technologies should be implemented nation-wide. Simultaneously improve public transport, promote walking and cycling, and reduce dependence on cars.

Account for the health cost in decision making: A better valuation of acute and chronic illnesses linked to air pollution needs to be carried out in India and integrated with decision making. There should be more support to initiate health studies on air pollution.

Need strong baseline data on diseases and deaths as well as robust protocol to support health risk assessment: Air quality monitoring should be well designed to enable such studies.

Build public information system on daily air quality with health advisories: Globally, governments have developed air quality index to inform people about the daily air quality through easily understood air quality bands and issue health advisories for those who are especially those who are vulnerable to air pollution. Some governments even frame pollution emergency measures to reduce the pollution peaks to more tolerable level.

Air pollution back as big health threat in city

NEW DELHI: Ten years after the city's public transport switched to CNG, air pollution has again become a major threat to public health in Delhi, say environmentalists. With 69 lakh vehicles plying on city roads, a growth of about 60 lakh in 20 years, experts say oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) are now at critically high levels.

NOx and PM are known to cause cancer and asthma. Medical experts say signs of deteriorating health are already manifest. The Delhi cancer registry maintained by AIIMS shows a 2-3 % rise in lung cancer cases every year.

Dr Vinod Raina, a cancer specialist at AIIMS says till some years ago, 14-15 lung cancer cases were reported for every 1 lakh cancer patients. "Of late, we have been getting about 13,000 new cases of cancer each year, of which 10% come in with lung cancer. And, 30% of lung cancer patients have nothing to do with smoking," he said.

The Centre for Science and Environment says vehicular pollution has returned as a big threat in Delhi. "About 55% of Delhiites stay within a 500m distance from main roads where vehicular pollution is at an all-time high. After public transport was converted to CNG, pollution has become invisible but is still on the rise," said Anumita Roychowdhury, associate director, CSE.

"In the 1990s, when the issue of air pollution was first raised, only particulate matter was being monitored. Now there is also a red alert on NOx and PM. AIIMS has been tracking hospital admissions and has found that they have been rising in winter months when pollution levels rise," Roychowdhury said.

BREATH OF FOUL AIR

Delhi cancer registry at AIIMS shows 2-3 % rise in lung cancer cases every year. 30% of these patients don't smoke 55% of Delhiites stay within 500m from main roads, where vehicular pollution is at all-time high Commuters travelling in AC vehicles suffer 35-55 % less pollution as compared to those in autos Environmentalists say levels of NOx and particulate matter in Delhi's air now a major threat to public health

AC cars may keep you fit

New Delhi: Air pollution is posing serious health hazards for the people of the national capital. Researchers from Berkeley University carried out a survey in Delhi between February and May 2010 to analyse the impact of pollution on those using public transport.

The study - Concentration of fine, ultrafine and black carbon particles in autorickshaws in New Delhi , India - published in Atmospheric Environment, says those travelling in autos and cars with windows rolled down are exposed to 1.5 times more PM 2.5 concentrations than the ambient air. Exposure to ultrafine particles are 8.5 times higher. Joshua Apte, who headed the research, said those travelling in air-conditioned vehicles suffered 35-55 % less pollution as compared to those in autos.

Last year, Taj Air increased its fleet size to four aircraft comprising of Falcon and Avanti jets, and also started offering aircraft maintenance service. Ratan Tata, said sources, is himself spearheading the initiative and putting the building blocks in place for the group to emerge as a significant player in the business aviation space.

Last year, Tata Sons acquired a one-third stake in Italy's Piaggio Aero Industries, manufacturer of the Avanti II turboprop twin, marking the group's entry into aircraft manufacturing.

Though the group, that pioneered commercial airlines business in India through Tata Aviation which after nationalization became Air India, it has almost buried its desire to enter the civil aviation sector after a couple of failed attempts. In mid-1990s, it planned to float an airline with Singapore Airlines and then it looked to buy a 40% stake in Air India, when the government was talking of divesting its stake in the national carrier.

Courtesy: Times of India