Amid massive wildfires, high winds, and hurricanes across the US, people with atrial fibrillation, or AFib, should beware of highly polluted air.
AFib is an irregular heartbeat that can cause blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. About 12 million Americans have it.
According to UPI, a new study finds that exposure to high levels of air pollution can increase the risk of stroke in AFib patients by more than 20%.
University of Pittsburgh researchers found that for every 6% increase in levels of air pollution exposure, the risk for stroke in adults with AFib increased by 8%.
People with any heart condition need to understand that they are at high risk from environmental exposures, and they need to monitor pollution levels in their area. Dr. Jared Magnani, Study Co-Author University of Pittsburgh