12 Jun Air Pollutants Linked To Risk of Myocardial Infarction
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Marko Mornar Jelavic
Marko Mornar Jelavic, MD, PhD
Department for Internal Medicine and Dialysis
Health Center Zagreb
Zagreb, Croatia
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia which is placed in South-Eastern Europe. The wider Zagreb metropolitan area has the total population of up to 1.2 million (20% of the total Croatia’s population). The climate of Zagreb is classified as a humid continental. The average daily mean temperature in winter is around +1 °C (from December to February) and the average temperature in summer is 22.0 °C.
For the first time, we wanted to investigate whether particles of dimensions ≤10 micrometers (PM10) nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3), as well as certain meteorological conditions (air temperature, humidity and pressure) have any impact on appearance of myocardial infarction (MI) in the region with a humid continental climate.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: Firstly, our data revealed that meteorological conditions had no impact on appearance of MI. It could be explained by the characteristics of our climate, as well as cooperation of hydrometeorology services and media, which has a strong influence on informing of population about weather conditions; the citizens are informed on daily basis how to prevent the influence of undesirable weather changes on their health.
Secondly, the concentrations of air pollutants have positive, but weak correlation with the appearance of acute MI during spring (O3) and winter (NO2). It could be explained by the increased air pollution caused by traffic expansion in Zagreb. The positive correlation between the concentration of NO2 particles and appearance of myocardial infarction during winter is of the mutual importance, because hourly and daily concentrations of NO2 particles were below upper lawful limits.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: We would like to emphasize the need for decreasing the upper lawful limits of air pollutants as it increases the number of patients with myocardial infarction.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: We would like to emphasize the need for performing more investigations about the influence of air pollutants (with concentrations within normal limits) on human health.
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
The influence of air pollutants on appearance of acute myocardial infarction in the region with humid continental climate
Pintaric, SanjaJelavic, Marko MornarNesek, VisnjaBabic, ZdravkoKnezovic, MarijanaPintaric, Hrvoje et al.
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 0 , Issue 0 ,
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2016.04.054
May 04, 2016
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Last Updated on June 12, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD