XI’AN, CHINA — Air pollution is contributing to a concerning increase in heart attacks and strokes, according to recent research. Scientists in China argue that inhaling ozone, also known as smog, accelerates the hardening of arteries, thereby leading to cardiovascular disease. Smog is created in the atmosphere when emissions from vehicles and industries interact with sunlight, forming harmful nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, taking approximately 18 million lives each year. It is estimated that air pollution is responsible for 1.8 million of these global deaths annually.

“During this three-year study, ozone was responsible for an increasing proportion of admissions for cardiovascular disease as time progressed. It is believed that climate change, by creating atmospheric conditions favoring ozone formation, will continue to raise concentrations in many parts of the world,” says the lead author of the study, professor Shaowei Wu from Xi’an Jiaotong University, in a media release. “Our results indicate that older people are particularly vulnerable to […]