Mixing Vessel: Air pollution helps cholesterol clog arteries
By Ben Harder
When paired with consuming a diet high in fat, breathing polluted air on a regular basis accelerates the accumulation of dangerous plaques in arteries, researchers studying mice have found. The research sheds light on how chronic exposure to air pollution contributes to heart attacks and strokes.
“High fat by itself has a strong negative impact” on blood vessel health, notes Nino Künzli of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, who didn’t participate in the new work. “Air pollution causes additional problems. If you unfortunately have both, you are really badly off.”