Exclusive: stroke risk is 7% higher and heart failure risk increases by 27% in areas with worst level of pollution, research shows
Millions of Britons face a higher risk of stroke or heart failure because of dirty air where they live.
People living in areas of the UK with the worst levels of air pollution are 27% more likely to develop heart failure, compared with people in areas with the cleanest air, a study suggests.
Stroke risk was 7% higher in the worst areas, the research shows. The findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology conference in Madrid, the world’s largest heart conference.
The study’s lead author, Ghita Housni, of the William Harvey research institute at Queen Mary University of London, said: “We know cleaner air means healthier hearts, and this research lays bare the impact of air pollution on public health.
