<p>Exposure to ozone - long associated with impaired lung function - can also cause cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke, a study has found.<br /><br />Ozone is a pollutant formed through a chemical reaction that occurs when sunlight interacts with nitrogen oxides and other organic compounds that are generated by coal-burning, vehicle exhaust and some natural sources.<br /><br />"We know that ozone can damage the respiratory system, reduce lung function and cause asthma attacks," said Junfeng Zhang, from Duke Kunshan University in China.<br /><br />"Here, we wanted to learn whether ozone affects other aspects of human health, specifically the cardiovascular system," said Zhang.<br /><br />Researchers studied 89 healthy adults living in Changsha City, China, for a year. They monitored indoor and outdoor ozone levels, along with other pollutants.<br /><br />At four intervals, the researchers took participant blood and urine samples and used a breathing test called spirometry to examine a set of factors that could contribute to cardiovascular and respiratory disease.<br /><br />The team examined inflammation and oxidative stress, arterial stiffness, blood pressure, clotting factors and lung function in participants.<br /><br />They noted blood platelet activation (a risk factor for clotting) and an increase in blood pressure, suggesting a possible mechanism by which ozone may affect cardiovascular health.<br /><br />These effects were found with ozone exposure lower than that which affects respiratory health, and lower than current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality standards.<br />"The study shows that standards for safe ozone exposure should take into account its effect on cardiovascular disease risk," said Zhang.<br /><br />The production of ozone globally will be exacerbated by a warmer climate, "so it will be an increasing trend with climate change," he said.<br /><br />Ozone is a difficult pollutant to control because its creation in the atmosphere is complex.<br />The findings were published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. <br /><br /></p>
<p>Exposure to ozone - long associated with impaired lung function - can also cause cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke, a study has found.<br /><br />Ozone is a pollutant formed through a chemical reaction that occurs when sunlight interacts with nitrogen oxides and other organic compounds that are generated by coal-burning, vehicle exhaust and some natural sources.<br /><br />"We know that ozone can damage the respiratory system, reduce lung function and cause asthma attacks," said Junfeng Zhang, from Duke Kunshan University in China.<br /><br />"Here, we wanted to learn whether ozone affects other aspects of human health, specifically the cardiovascular system," said Zhang.<br /><br />Researchers studied 89 healthy adults living in Changsha City, China, for a year. They monitored indoor and outdoor ozone levels, along with other pollutants.<br /><br />At four intervals, the researchers took participant blood and urine samples and used a breathing test called spirometry to examine a set of factors that could contribute to cardiovascular and respiratory disease.<br /><br />The team examined inflammation and oxidative stress, arterial stiffness, blood pressure, clotting factors and lung function in participants.<br /><br />They noted blood platelet activation (a risk factor for clotting) and an increase in blood pressure, suggesting a possible mechanism by which ozone may affect cardiovascular health.<br /><br />These effects were found with ozone exposure lower than that which affects respiratory health, and lower than current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality standards.<br />"The study shows that standards for safe ozone exposure should take into account its effect on cardiovascular disease risk," said Zhang.<br /><br />The production of ozone globally will be exacerbated by a warmer climate, "so it will be an increasing trend with climate change," he said.<br /><br />Ozone is a difficult pollutant to control because its creation in the atmosphere is complex.<br />The findings were published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. <br /><br /></p>