 "Indoor air purifiers may aid heart patients")
People with heart conditions may benefit from using indoor air purifiers, suggests a small study from China.
While the study can't say air purifiers prevent heart attacks or other major medical problems, several risk factors for heart disease improved among young and healthy adults who were exposed to purified air.
"In countries of the world where air pollution is a problem, I think this would be especially important," said Sanjay Rajagopalan of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
Previous studies found that fine particles in the air are tied to an increased risk of heart-related problems, including heart attack and stroke, the authors say.
Rachel Taliercio, a lung specialist in The Cleveland Clinic's Asthma Center in Ohio, cautioned that the benefit of air purification systems in homes might not be equal for everyone.
Pollution levels in North America, for example, are much lower than in Asia, she said. "So, it's hard to know if what you see in China is beneficial for North America."
While the study can't say air purifiers prevent heart attacks or other major medical problems, several risk factors for heart disease improved among young and healthy adults who were exposed to purified air.
"In countries of the world where air pollution is a problem, I think this would be especially important," said Sanjay Rajagopalan of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.
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The new findings suggest that using an air purifier may lead to a reduction in cardiovascular events, said Rajagopalan, who co-authored an editorial accompanying the new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Previous studies found that fine particles in the air are tied to an increased risk of heart-related problems, including heart attack and stroke, the authors say.
Rachel Taliercio, a lung specialist in The Cleveland Clinic's Asthma Center in Ohio, cautioned that the benefit of air purification systems in homes might not be equal for everyone.
Pollution levels in North America, for example, are much lower than in Asia, she said. "So, it's hard to know if what you see in China is beneficial for North America."