Is the smog effecting your heart?

Living in a metropolitan has a lot of benefits. Its hub of economic activity, technologically advanced, offers numerous opportunities, its infrastructure is great etc. However, there are so many downsides as well, with pollution being at the forefront. 

Air Pollution in the cities 

Metropolitans are often very crowded, as people rush to them for a chance at a better life. Capitalist world has also set economic benefits at the top of the food chain, so slowly, the cities become concrete jungles, as money takes precedence over green living. 

Trees are cut to make room for the infrastructure, industries sprouting smoke are set everywhere, vehicles oozing smoke rule the city. And then comes the pollution produced by the people themselves. Naturally, the air quality will be poor, and then some. 

People inhaling this dirty air then succumb to different diseases which has them a regular with the General physician in Lahore. But things tend to take a turn for in winters, where dropping temperature and subsequent fog even further aggravate the problem. 

Air Pollution aggravates; Meet smog

Smog is a combination of smoke and fog. It essentially is the air pollution that you can see due to the entrapment in the fog. In many places, smog is due to the burning of the coal. But in modern cities, photochemical smog rules. 

It is produced when the radiation from the sun meets the nitrogen oxides that are emanated by vehicles, industries etc. This reaction then produces ground level ozone, aka smog. 

Smog is dangerous, and then some

Smog affects humans, animals and plant; essentially, all living organisms, such toxic is its impact. As we breath in the air, lungs tissue gets exposed and damaged by it, leading to respiratory illnesses. 

People who already have lung problems like asthma experience flare ups and degrading symptoms. Similarly, smog also effects the eyes, leading to burning and itching in them. But perhaps the direst impact of smoke is on the cardiovascular health. 

Heart Attack 

Smog contains all sorts of dangerous particles that can wreak havoc inside of the body. There are certain pollutants that can lead to heart attack in people already suffering from heart disease. 

Such people have fatty deposits inside of the vessels, known as plaques. Pollutants cause these plaques to rupture, and thus trigger heart attack. If the muscle of the heart is deprived of oxygen long enough, it dies. 

And if the damage is rather severe, heart attack can also be fatal. If you feel you are at risk of serious heart problems, consider getting a CT scan at Chughtai Lab, Karachi.

Arterial Disease 

Particles in the smog are also very tiny, and thus make it easily inside of the human body in large amounts. As they are inhaled in, they irritate the lungs. Moreover, as the pollutants breathed in go through from the lungs to the arteries of the heart, they start irritating the arterial walls as well. 

In due time, this leads to disease in the arteries. As they play a crucial role in blood circulation, hence the damage done has grave implications for the health. 

Moreover, smog also leads to the arteries becoming narrow and hard. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. The constriction of the arteries interferes with the effective and efficient blood supply to the part of the body. The hard deposits can also lead to blood clots, which when happen in brain, can lead to stroke. 

Stroke causes debilitating at best and death at worse. Moreover, atherosclerosis also can cause heart attack as well. 

Stroke

Brain needs constant oxygen –and hence blood—supply. Due to smog and subsequent complications like atherosclerosis and hypertension, blood clots can occur or make their way to the brain, and thus interfere with the blood supply to the brain cell, leading to condition known as stroke. 

Lack of oxygen completely or even reduction in oxygen levels then causes the brain cells to die in minutes. As these cells do not rejuvenate, the damage is permanent. Depending on the severity of the stroke, time lapse accessing treatment and the region of the brain affected, stroke can cause anything from speech loss, memory loss, paralysis to death. 

Hypertension 

Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is when the blood exerts great pressure on the walls of the vessels which ends up damaging the vessel walls. Smog increases the risk for hypertension in people. 

Overtime, hypertension causes damages to the cardiovascular system and can lead to conditions like stroke and heart attack. Since it does not always present symptoms, it may be a while before this condition is diagnosed, by which time, the situation might have become very complicated. 

Hence, it is vital for people to steer clear of smog. Wear masks to avoid exposure to the it. Do not go out unnecessarily. Indoor Air purifiers are also useful. 

 Also, to avoid silent conditions like hypertension sneaking up on you, be sure to get tested at Chughtai Lab Karachi so that your health is carefully kept track of.