The country is talking about smog. In our childhood, we hardly had heard the word smog which is today the most talked about topics in our country. Smog- which is combination of Smoke and Fog is a cost which every major city in the developing world has to face and today our national capital is witnessing it like never before.
Delhi is covered with dark clouds of filth and poison leaving people gasping for breath and masking themselves, putting 17 million people to asthma, heart disease, stroke, and even cancer. Delhi is often cited as world’s most polluted city, causing thousands of deaths in a year. The type of air pollution in question is known as coarse particulate matter. Increased levels of this kind of serious pollution is linked to construction material in air, desert winds and farming fumes along with vehicular emissions and other pollutants. The air quality of the city is found to be 42 times above the safe limits. These shocking figures have resulted in cardiovascular illness and mortality especially in senior population. Harmful air pollutants like these, which are coarse than other pollutants can cause cardiovascular diseases such as artery blockages leading to heart attacks.
In Indian capital, elderly people or people with heart disease are experiencing chest pain, palpitation, shortness of breath and fatigue. Reason behind this is particle pollution, which has long been associated with cardiac arrhythmia and heart attacks. Such pollutants enter the human body and cause irritation to the lungs and blood vessels around the heart. The combination of harmful nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter can disturb the heart rhythm. There is clinical evidence that clearly indicates the deleterious effects of ambient air pollution on health and its relation to heart disease and stroke. Lack of blood flow to the heart or heart muscles causes a conductivity change, called an “ST-segment depression”. These can be detected in electrocardiograms, when tested.
Precautions Can Help Heart Patients if they adapt these pro-active approaches:
-
The American Heart Association recommends that heart patients, especially those who have had a heart attack, do not drive for two to three weeks after being discharged and also avoid driving in heavy traffic because of the stress such a situation creates.
-
Certain additional precautionary steps may also be useful, such as making sure one is not exposed to other forms of air pollution, for example construction sites and the use of air purifiers to improve the quality of air in the home.
-
Drink plenty of fluids or water to keep your respiratory tract moist.
-
People suffering from diabetes should keep their blood sugar in check as they are vulnerable to Respiratory and Cardiovascular diseases.
-
If you are required to be outdoors, ensure that it is during early mornings or after the sun sets.
-
Use n95 or n99 mask when you go out.
If you or anyone you know has a heart problem, its time for you to take up all precautions to maintain a Healthy Heart in such pollution. Monitoring heart regularly, to avoid any mishap in the long run is the need of the hour. You can track your heart activities in an ECG machine. ECG machines available are so bulky and costly that it is hard to imagine having them at home monitoring your heart regularly — seeing which Agatsa developed a pocket-able ECG device called Sanket. It measures your ECG and connects you with your doctor instantly. The test is done in 15 Seconds and the report can be sent for review Sanket, thus, diffuses any confusion of a normal pain from a heart attack.
Agatsa 