Diesel pollution is linked with heart damage and even premature death, according to new research.
Researchers found the exposure to small particles in diesel causes inflammation that makes the heart enlarge, reducing its ability to effectively pump blood around the body.
It also causes blood vessels to narrow, leading to higher blood pressure, which is a known risk factor for heart failure and strokes, the research adds.
The researchers also found that people without a degree-level education are more at risk, possibly due to them living or working in worse conditions, or their knowledge and healthcare access being limited.
Study author Dr Nay Aung, from Queen Mary University of London, said: ‘There is strong evidence that particulate matter (PM) emitted mainly from diesel road vehicles is associated with increased risk of heart attack, heart failure and death.’
Fine particles in diesel fumes raise our risk of suffering heart damage and an early death
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SCIENTISTS DISCOVER HOW DIESEL TRIGGERS COUGHING
Diesel fumes have been proven for the first time to cause coughing and shortness of breath.
British scientists have physical evidence that car fumes cause nerves in the lungs to misfire.
It was known that people with asthma, taken to traffic-heavy Oxford Street in London, for example, are worse affected than those in less polluted areas.
Yet researchers can now explain the effect of diesel particles, which are so tiny that the body mistakes them for natural molecules and draws them deep into the lungs.
A team from Imperial College London has discovered diesel fumes trigger a receptor in the airway, starting a chain reaction that causes nerves in the lungs to fire incorrectly.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London analysed 4,255 participants from the UK Biobank study.
Participants had an average age of 62 and 47 per cent were men.
The researchers carried out MRI scans on the participants’ hearts to measure their structure and function.
Annual exposure to fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, was calculated based on the participants’ home addresses.
PM2.5 is mainly emitted from diesel road vehicles, the researchers said.
Results, presented at the European Society of Cardiology, revealed that as PM2.5 levels rise, the heart’s structure and function deteriorates.
Dr Nay Aung, said: ‘There is strong evidence that PM emitted mainly from diesel road vehicles is associated with increased risk of heart attack, heart failure and death.
‘This appears to be driven by an inflammatory response – inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) causes localised inflammation of the lungs followed by a more systemic inflammation affecting the whole body.
‘We found that as PM2.5 exposure rises, the larger the heart gets and the worse it performs.
‘Both of these measures are associated with increased morbidity and mortality from heart disease.’
The researchers also found that people with degree-level education were less at risk of heart damage when exposed to PM2.5 than those with lesser education qualifications.
Dr Aung said: ‘People who were highly educated were less likely to have harmful effects on the heart from pollution.
‘This could be due to a number of factors including better housing and workplace conditions, which reduce pollution exposure.
‘Educated people may also be more aware of their health, have healthier lifestyles, and have better access to healthcare.’
Regarding how pollution might have these negative effects, Dr Aung said PM2.5 causes inflammation, blood vessel constriction and raised blood pressure.
The combination of these factors can increase pressure in the heart, which then enlarges to cope with the overload, he said.
An enlarged heart is less efficient at pumping blood around the body, Dr Aung added.
Past research suggests particles are inhaled and then enter the bloodstream via the lungs
He said: ‘Our results suggest that PM2.5 is linked with negative changes in the heart structure and function that are associated with poor outcomes.
‘Reducing PM2.5 emission should be an urgent public health priority and the worst offenders such as diesel vehicles should be addressed with policy measures.’
In terms of what individuals can do to decrease their risk, Dr Aung said: ‘Avoid times and places where there is a high level of pollution.
‘If you want to cycle into work and there is heavy traffic around that time then try to find a quieter route.
‘Walk on the part of the pavement furthest from cars to reduce the amount of pollution you breathe in.
‘Those with cardiorespiratory diseases should limit the time spent outdoors during highly polluted periods such as rush hours.’
This comes after researchers from the University of Edinburgh revealed that particles inhaled from diesel fumes travel from the lungs into the bloodstream where they then accumulate at already inflamed, and therefore vulnerable, sites.
In 2012, the World Health Organisation estimated around 72 per cent of premature deaths related to air pollution were due to heart disease and strokes.
Fumes and toxins in polluted air are estimated to contribute to the deaths of 40,000 people in Britain every year.
The UK is notoriously bad at controlling air pollution, with 37 of its cities persistently breaching legal air toxin limits.
Diesel cars have been promoted since the 1970s as an environmentally-friendly choice because they emits less carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
Successive governments have put tax incentives on diesel cars, allowing drivers to pay less vehicle excise duty.
Yet, the health implications of diesel vehicles has only recently started to be understood.