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People With Diabetes More Sensitive to Cardiovascular Effects from Air Pollution

Brief Description:
New research indicates that diabetics may be at higher risk for cardiovascular problems when air-pollution levels increase.

Transcript:
Schmalfeldt: During the hot, muggy days of summer, air pollution makes an already uncomfortable situation even worse. Now research funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences says that diabetics may be at higher risk for cardiovascular problems when air pollution levels increase. Kimberly Gray is a program administrator with the NIEHS.

Gray: I think that everyone's aware air pollution can cause problems, but now we have some data to suggest that there are some susceptible clinic populations out there that really need to be cognizant of their environment.

Schmalfeldt: The study of Boston-area resident showed that for adults with diabetes, the ability of blood vessels to control blood flow was impaired on days when the air contained elevated levels of particles from traffic and coal-burning power plants. Gray said that although more research needs to be done on the subject, the advice for people with diabetes seems pretty obvious.

Gray: Diabetics need to follow their regular protocol as predicted by a physician, but they're especially sensitive to air pollution. So on days that you know the air pollution is a little bit higher, humidity's a little bit higher, they should just be cognizant of that and maybe avoid the outdoors.

Schmalfeldt: The study's findings were published in the June edition of the journal Circulation. From the National Institutes of Health, I'm Bill Schmalfeldt in Bethesda, Maryland.

This page was last reviewed on October 26, 2005 .

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