Air pollution a major contributor to stroke burden, finds new study
New research has uncovered that air pollution contributes to around one third of strokes worldwide. The startling findings, published last week in The Lancet Neurology, are the result of work led by Professor Valery Feigin - Director of AUT's National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences.
His work drew on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, and found air pollution is among the top ten contributors to stroke burden. It is placed seventh, behind risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and not eating enough vegetables.
Professor Feigin says the extent of air pollution effects were surprising. “A striking finding of our study is the unexpectedly high proportion of stroke burden attributable to environmental air pollution, especially in developing countries.”
The research results have been widely covered by international media, including in British daily The Guardian. To read more about the study, click here.