Increases in heart rate during an air pollution episode

This paper assesses whether air pollution increases resting heart rates in 2,681 men and women aged 25-64 years who participated in the MONICA (monito ring of trends and determinants in cardiovascular disease) Augsburg cohort. Increases in heart rate were observed during the air pollution episode in January 1985 compared with non-episode days adjusted for cardiovascular ris k factors and meteorologic parameters. Consistently, heart rates were also elevated at high concentrations of sulfur dioxide, total suspended particul ates, or carbon monoxide. Acceleration in heart rates indicates an altered autonomic control of the heart in association with air pollution, which may contribute to the observed health effects in association with air pollutio n.