A recent published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine suggests that particulate air pollution, smog, increases the risk for myocardial infarction. The researcher, Ryan W. Allen, PhD of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada tells readers that by lowering indoor particulate air pollution levels by using ordinary high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration it appears that you can improve at least two markers of cardiovascular risk, microvascular endothelial function and systemic inflammation.

The researchers found that HEPA filters significantly improved endothelial function and reduced inflammation in these participants. Whether this might translate into fewer heart attacks is not yet known.

Dr. Allen stated in a subsequent news release, "Our main objectives were to evaluate the potential for a simple intervention to improve indoor air quality and reduce pollution-related cardiovascular health risks and to better understand the mechanisms that contribute to air pollution-related cardiovascular health problems."

While the exact connection between particulate air pollution and heart attack risk is suspected to involve a number of factors including oxidative stress. The researchers recruited 45 adults from 25 homes. Each person’s home was monitored for 2 consecutive 7-day periods, during which time HEPA filters were operated in the main activity room and in each participant’s bedroom. HEPA filters were operated normally during one 7-day period and without the internal filters in place during the other (ie, control) period.

The outcome was that the reactive hyperemia index, an indicator of microvascular endothelial function which marks the early stages of the atherosclerotic process and predicts cardiovascular risk and and mortality were reduced. This indicated to the researchers that blood vessels have an impaired response to changes in blood flow.

The researchers found that the air filters increased participants' reactive hyperemia index by 9.4% and decreased C-reactive protein by 32.6% but did not affect oxidative stress markers. Indoor fine-particle concentrations decreased by more than 60%.

"Our results support the hypothesis that systemic inflammation and impaired endothelial function, both predictors of cardiovascular risk, can be favorably influenced by a reduction of particle concentration.” Dr. Allen said. This research now adds to a growing body of evidence linking short-term exposure to particulate matter with a systemic inflammatory response.

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