How air quality affects health: Scientists have found a simple way to reduce the risk of stroke

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The risk of ischemic stroke – one of the most common types of cerebral blood flow disorders – is lower in people whose houses are surrounded by greenery. This was the conclusion reached by scientists from the Hospital del Mar, the Barcelona Institute of Global Health and other research institutions in Spain.

The results were published in the journal Environment International. The study took into account the impact of three traffic-related air pollutants on more than 3.5 million people – residents of Catalonia. All participants were over 18 years old, and none of them had a history of stroke at the time of the study.

In particular, the scientists analyzed the effects of levels of particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide and soot particles. The number and density of green spaces near the houses of Catalans were also studied.

The results indicated a direct link between the increased level of nitrogen dioxide in the air and the risk of ischemic stroke. For every 10 μg/m³ increase in the level of this pollutant, this risk increases by 4%, the analysis showed. A similar pattern is observed when PM 2.5 levels increase by 5 μg/m³. In the case of soot particles, the risk becomes 5% higher for every 1 μg/m³ increase in their content in the air, writes EurekAlert.

At the same time, as the scientists found out, the risk of stroke was 16% lower in people , in which green areas are located at a distance of less than 300 m from their house. “People who are surrounded by a lot of greenery at their place of residence are better protected against the occurrence of a stroke,” says one of the authors of the study, Dr. Karla Avellianeda.