Thetiny chemical particles emitted from tailpipes when gasoline is burnedthey don’t just affect the lungs. They are alsoharmful to blood vesselsand can increase the formation of blood clots in the arteries, leading to aheart attackor yetstroke, as shown by research from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) published in the journalEuropean Heart Journal.
The scientists measured the impact of these gases in healthy volunteers to compare them with the levels found inheavily polluted cities. Specifically, they looked at how the human body reacts to gases found in diesel smoke – such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide – with those caused by ultrafine chemical particles in tailpipes, which are smaller than one millionth of a meter wide. The results reveal that it is these tiny particles, and not gases, that cause theimpaired blood vessel function. According to Mark Miller, from the Center for Cardiovascular Science at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), nanoparticles “produce highly reactive molecules called free radicals that can damage our blood vessels and cause vascular disease.”
The researchers want environmental health measures designed to reduceemissions are analyzedto determine its effectiveness inreduce the incidence of heart attacksAnd for now they recommend that people with heart disease avoid spending long periods in areas where pollution caused by traffic is high.
