According to a thorough investigation of 322 Chinese towns, prolonged exposure to air pollution is linked to a higher incidence of arrhythmia or an abnormal pulse. An estimated 59.7 million individuals worldwide are thought to be affected by the prevalent arrhythmia illnesses atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, which may lead to more severe heart disease.
Air pollution is a modifiable risk factor for cardiac disease, but there has been conflicting data connecting it to arrhythmia, they said. Data from 2025 hospitals in 322 Chinese cities were used to analyse hourly exposure to air pollution and the abrupt development of arrhythmia symptoms.
“We found that acute exposure to ambient air pollution was associated with increased risk of symptomatic arrhythmia,” stated Renjie Chen from Fudan University in Shanghai, China.
“The dangers appeared in the first few hours after exposure and may last for 24 hours. According to Chen, the exposure-response correlations between six contaminants and four subtypes of arrhythmias were roughly linear and lacked concentration limits.
1,90,115 (more than 1.9 lakh) individuals with acutely developing symptoms of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, premature beats, and supraventricular tachycardia were included in the research.
Atrial flutter and supraventricular tachycardia were the conditions most significantly linked to exposure to ambient air pollution, followed by atrial fibrillation and premature beats, according to the study’s findings.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), out of the six pollutants, was most strongly linked to all four kinds of arrhythmias, and the stronger the link was, the researchers found.
The relationship between air pollution and acute start of arrhythmia that we found is physiologically feasible, the scientists concluded, even if the precise mechanisms are not yet completely known.
According to some data, air pollution affects cardiac electrophysiological activity by causing oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, altering numerous membrane channels, and reducing autonomic nerve function, they said.
The researchers emphasised that the relationship was direct, which emphasises the need to safeguard those who are most vulnerable when there is a high level of air pollution. “Our study adds to the body of evidence of the harmful cardiovascular effects of air pollution, highlighting the necessity of further reducing exposure to air pollution and of prompt protection of vulnerable populations worldwide,” they said.