Cities Most at Risk for Rise in Heart Attacks as Canadian Wildfires Burn [Video]

Some residents of several major cities in the Midwest could face an increased risk of heart attack and stroke as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to descend into the United States this week.

“Exposure to particulate matter air pollution causes inflammation in the lungs. This can manifest as worsening of respiratory symptoms, particularly in people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” Dr. Scott Budinger, the chief of pulmonary and critical care in the Department of Medicine at Northwestern University, told Newsweek.

“[E]ven more importantly, exposure to particulate matter air pollution acutely increases the risk of heart attacks or strokes,” he added.

Why It Matters

The widespread drift of wildfire smoke from Canada into U.S. metropolitan areas carries significant public health implications. Medical research has documented an association between exposure to fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) and acute increases in heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events.

Vulnerable groups, particularly people living with coronary artery …