Ultrafine particles ‘increase coronary heart disease risk in firefighters’
August 12th, 2010 - 6:33 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Aug 12 (ANI): A study has found that exposure to high levels of ultrafine particles could increase the risk of coronary heart disease in firefighters.
Ultrafine particles are invisible particles that can reach the smallest air passages in the lungs.
The consistent use of respiratory protective equipment, especially during the “overhaul” stage of fire suppression, could reduce firefighters’ exposure to ultrafine particles, and possibly lower coronary risk.
In the study, which was led by C. Stuart Baxter, Ph.D., of University of Cincinnati, researchers measured levels of different sizes of respirable (breathable) particles during test fires conducted under experimental conditions.
In all types of fires, ultrafine particles-measuring less than 0.1 microns (1/10,000 of a millimeter)-accounted for more than 70 percent of all particles.
Levels of ultrafine particles were high throughout all stages of fire suppression, not only the “knockdown” phase, when firefighters work to extinguish the fire or limit its growth; but also during the “overhaul” phase, when the goal is to prevent the fire from reigniting.
Exposure may be especially high during the overhaul phase, when firefighters often remove their respiratory protective equipment.
Coronary events are a major health issue in firefighters, causing nearly half of all deaths on duty.
Exposure to ultrafine particles could contribute to coronary disease in firefighters-not only as a long-term health risk, but also as a cause of coronary events while responding to fires.
To reduce this exposure, Dr. Baxter and co-authors believe that firefighters should be encouraged to use respiratory protective equipment throughout all phases of fire suppression.
They also endorse previous recommendations for medical screening to identify and manage coronary risk factors in firefighters. The authors also emphasize that more research is needed to clarify the link between exposure to ultrafine particles and coronary risk.
The findings have been published in the August Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). (ANI)
- Spending even two hours in traffic can cause heart problems - Jan 23, 2010
- How air pollution can aggravate heart problems - Mar 10, 2011
- Frying meat on gas hob 'ups cancer risk' - Feb 18, 2010
- Exposure to air pollution linked to reduced heart rate variability - Jul 10, 2010
- Beware of aromatherapy's polluting effects - Oct 21, 2011
- School classroom air 'more polluted' than outdoor air - Dec 23, 2009
- New mobile lab allows scientists to study damaging health effects of air pollution - Oct 08, 2009
- Wildfire near US nuclear laboratory spreads - Jun 30, 2011
- Public health risks from radiation leaking from Japanese nuclear plants - Mar 17, 2011
- 'Toxic cocktail' in tunnels can increase air pollution levels by up to 1,000 times - Aug 28, 2009
- PFCs weaken immune response to vaccine shots in childhood - Jan 25, 2012
- Exposure to paint remover chemical kills workmen - Feb 24, 2012
- Ultrafine pollution particles may heighten asthmatic allergic inflammation risk - Jul 02, 2010
- Classrooms may be more polluted than outdoors - Dec 25, 2009
- Air filters linked to improved cardiovascular health - Jan 22, 2011
Tags: air passages, coronary disease, coronary events, coronary heart disease, coronary heart disease risk, coronary risk factors, experimental conditions, fire suppression, health risk, heart disease risk, invisible particles, long term health, major health, medical screening, respiratory protective equipment, stuart baxter, test fires, types of fires, ultrafine particles, university of cincinnati