Exposure to air pollution from burning fossil fuels, especially coal, has been closely linked to an increased risk of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, in China, where air quality is the ninth worst in the world and the country emits 27% of the world’s total output of carbon dioxide.Â
A new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal has linked air pollution from burning fossil fuels, especially coal, to an increased risk of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. China, which has the ninth-worst air quality in the world, loses an average of 2.6 years of life per capita due to atmospheric pollution. The study found that exposure to air pollution leads to arrhythmias in real-time, with the heart responding quickly to changes in air quality. Arrhythmias can result in serious health issues such as blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and even sudden death in some cases. China is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases and emits 27% of the world’s total output of carbon dioxide, with a slow transition to green energy. The study’s authors collected data from 2,025 hospitals in 322 cities in China, ranging from 2015 to 2021, and encompassing 190,115 patients who went to emergency rooms complaining of arrhythmia.Â
Source: https://time.com/6276018/air-pollution-affect-heartbeat/Â
