Winter is the season of heart attacks, especially early in the morning, as the blood vessels constrict at that time due to sympathetic over activity and if the atmosphere is full of smog the risk can even double.
Recent statistics indicate that India is home to the top 10 smoggiest cities by both PM 2.5 and PM 10 measures. The small particles of air pollution, or PM 2.5, pose the greatest threat to human respiratory systems, according to the World Health Organization. The larger ones or PM 10 also have numerous health effects. Winters bring low wind speeds and increased humidity levels in the air. All this in turn will lead to worsening of the smog conditions since the pollutants hang low and do not disperse.
Air pollution is a reality today. Several studies have demonstrated the association of poor air quality with diseases like respiratory and heart diseases, global warming making it a major public health problem of concern.
According to Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Group Editor-in-Chief of IJCP, said: “Exposure to smog has known adverse health effects. Acute ill-effects may include redness of eyes, coughing or throat irritation, difficulty in breathing. Smog can trigger acute asthma attacks; it may even trigger a heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia. Children, elderly, patients with diabetes, heart and lung diseases are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of smog and so should take special precautions to protect themselves.”