Heart attacks, lung problems and other illnesses spiked within three months of the Los Angeles wildfires early this year, a new study reports.
ER visits for heart attacks rose by 46% at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following the January 2025 outbreak of the fires, which menaced and destroyed thousands of L.A. homes and businesses, researchers reported Wednesday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Cedars-Sinai also saw a 24% increase in ER visits for respiratory problems and a 118% overall increase in visits related to illness.
"Wildfires that spread into urban areas have proven to be extremely dangerous because of how quickly they move and what they burn and release into the environment," said senior researcher Dr. Susan Cheng, director of public health research at Cedars-Sinai.
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