Air pollution shortens life by 2 years

A new study suggests that air pollution in Europe, twice as many deaths as previously thought. Accordingly, in 2015, is estimated to have fallen 790.000 people in Europe the contaminated air to the victim, especially by cardiovascular diseases. So that more people would die from air pollution than tobacco smoke.

The researchers calculated that air pollution causes worldwide, approximately 8.8 million premature deaths, far more than the previously estimated 4.5 million. Prof. Dr. Thomas Münzel of the University hospital in Mainz, Germany, says: "The number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases attributable to air pollution, is much higher than expected. In Europe alone, the number of deaths is nearly 800,000 per year, and each of them implies an average reduction in life expectancy of more than two years."

The connection between air pollution and cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases has been scientifically proven. "It is not caused by increased oxidative Stress damage to the blood vessels, the to failure, then increase in blood pressure, Diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and heart führen", so Münzel. The researchers attribute the high number of premature deaths to a combination of poor air quality and high population density, and are calling on the national and international authorities urgently to take measures to reduce air pollution.

Münzel and his Team pointed out that especially fine particles of dust diseases are the cause for respiratory diseases and cardiovascular. Although the annual limit value in the EU, even on the Directive of the world health organization, it is exceeded in many EU countries regularly.