Air pollution increases stroke risk in youngsters

New Delhi: On ‘World Stroke Day,’ health experts warned that besides high risk patients, tiny particles of air pollution can also increase the risk of stroke in younger and healthy population by damaging the inner lining of their veins and arteries. Health experts claimed that earlier it was thought air pollution increases risk of stroke in elderly and sick but studies have found that even seemingly healthy young adults are also at risk.

Dr Vinay Goyal, a professor at the department of neurology in AIIMS, said, “Pollution is one of the exploding factors for increasing stroke risk in people living in polluted regions like Delhi-NCR. High level of PM 2.5 level in the air increases risk of cardiovascular mortality. International studies have linked a relation between pollution and stroke risk. In India, the situation can be more dangerous.”

Experts are concerned about the fact that air quality in Delhi-NCR is already very toxic with change in weather condition.

Dr Praveen Gupta, the director of neurology at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute, said: “Many patients in the younger age group are coming in, who suffer from stroke.”