A recent study indicated that postmenopausal women are more likely to have a first heart attack, or stroke in relation to air pollution. The risk increases as air pollution increases. Mortality (i.e. death) is also related to the degree of air pollution.
Of interest to note was that the relationship between air pollution and illness was stronger if the woman was obese.
The amount of education or income level were related to coronary artery disease/stroke, or mortality and air pollution.
However, women as a whole have a stronger propensity towards coronary artery disease and/or stroke for the following reasons:
- smaller coronaries that are more likely to be affected through disease than men
- an increase in rate of diabetes,
- increased tendency towards obesity,
- increased levels of hypertension, and
- inactivity following menopause.
Even though the above may be true, it is still remarkable the evidence bears out air pollution and its contribution towards
- pulmonary and systemic inflammation leading to ,
- direct vascular injury,
- atherosclerosis, and
- autonomic dysfunction..
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