Air pollution from fine dust particles blowing in from China and nitrogen dioxide emitted by diesel fuel vehicles can seriously affect the cardiovascular health, including hypertension, according to a study.

Exposure to air pollutants was significantly associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular events, Kim Ho, Dean of Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, said Monday, the author of the study, which was published in the latest issue of Journal of Science of the Total Environment.

The study was based on the analysis of data from about 700,000 persons in community health surveys conducted by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2008 to 2010.

The study, focusing on the association between the prevalence of hypertension and other cardiovascular disease and three major air pollutants - fine dust particles, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, found the incidence of hypertension increased 4.4 percent when the concentration of fine dust particles gained by 10㎛/㎥ a year on average.

In addition, when nitrogen dioxide levels increased by 10ppb, the incidence of hypertension grew 8 percent, while when carbon monoxide levels increased by 10ppb, the incidence of hypertension went up 13 percent, the study estimated.

There have been multiple studies that showed air pollution could deteriorate respiratory disease, but the latest one-year follow-up study to show the association with cardiovascular disease is the first of its kind.

“Those who suffer from not only respiratory disease but also cardiovascular disease should pay attention to fine dust particle warnings and refrain from going outside as best they can,” Kim said.

“It is certain that fine dust particles from China and old diesel cars are the main culprit of air pollution, but we need more studies to find which one does more harm to the human body,” he added.

By Kang Bong-jin

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