Presentation highlighted at HFSA 12th Annual Scientific Meeting examines
correlation between increased air pollution rates and an increase in rates
of heart failure among US population
TORONTO, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At the Opening Plenary
Session of the 12th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society
of America (HFSA) today Dr. Joel Kaufman, Professor of Medicine, and
Director of the University of Washington's Occupational and Environmental
Medicine Program, wrapped up the session by presenting "Particulate Matter
Air Pollution and Heart Health," which included evidence that fine
particulate air pollution (soot) exposures are associated with an increase
in cardiovascular disease. He specifically addressed concerns that high
levels of pollution may lead to a higher incidence of heart failure, and to
hospitalizations among patients being treated for heart failure. The
scientific meeting, which began today at the Metro Toronto Convention
Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, will also feature new research,
advances in treatment and guidelines for care, debates and late breaking
clinical trials.
"Air pollution in relation to heart failure is an important topic as
the rate of heart failure is increasing in this country and environmental
factors may be important in understanding this increase. The association
between these emphasizes the need to further study the mechanisms through
which pollution causes and/or worsens heart disease and also means of
prevention and addresses the need for investigation to determine the
correlation and possible solutions associated with the relationship between
small particle air pollution and cardiovascular diseases," said Dr. Barry
Greenberg, HFSA President, and Professor of Medicine, and Director,
Advanced Heart Failure Treatment Program, University of California, San
Diego.
Dr. Kaufman noted that what may surprise people is that while air
pollution is normally associated with lung disorders, it actually causes
heart problems. Kaufman noted that these findings are under intense
investigation. "Of course, air pollution is inhaled first, so technically,
the first place to see effects is in the lungs. But the data from large
studies show that the biggest effect of air pollution is on the
cardiovascular system. Thus, we are looking at how and why it appears to
fatally affect the heart instead. Do air pollutants trigger reactions in
the lung that cause effects elsewhere in the body, or do these pollutants
go directly going into circulation after inhalation to affect the
cardiovascular system?"
Other considerations that were presented included whether particulate
air matter has an effect on inflammation and hypertension, and if these
added stress factors are what in turn triggers heart disease as a result.
Dr. Kaufman said that it is still too early into the research on
particulate air pollution to give specific recommendations for prevention
or actions to take. But the evidence is growing that during times of heavy
pollution or in places where air pollution is most severe, complications of
heart failure can get worse for those diagnosed with the condition.
For a complete list of annual meeting sessions or for details on
attending the conference, call (617) 226-7198 or visit http://www.hfsa.org and
click on Annual Scientific Meeting. There is no registration fee for
accredited journalists. Interview areas will be available on-site in
addition to a fully-staffed press room with phone and internet
accessibility.
About Heart Failure
Heart failure is a progressive condition in which the heart muscle
becomes weakened after it is injured from heart attack or high blood
pressure and gradually loses its ability to pump enough blood to supply the
body's needs. Many people are not aware they have heart failure because the
symptoms are often mistaken for signs of getting older. Heart failure
affects from 4.6 to 4.8 million individuals in the United States.
Demographic and clinical evidence strongly suggest the prevalence of heart
failure will increase throughout the next decade. Ten to 15 years ago heart
failure was considered a "death sentence;" however, recent advances in
treatment have shown that early diagnosis and proper care in early stages
of the condition are key to slowing, stopping or in some cases reversing
progression, improving quality of life, and extending life expectancy. For
more information on heart failure, please visit http://www.abouthf.org.
About the Heart Failure Society of America
The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) is a nonprofit educational
organization, founded in 1994 as the first organized association of heart
failure experts. Today HFSA has over 1,700 members and provides a forum for
all those interested in heart function, heart failure research and patient
care. The Society also serves as a resource for governmental agencies (FDA,
NIH, NHLBI, CMS). The HFSA Annual Scientific Meeting is designed to
highlight recent advances in the development of strategies to address the
complex epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic issues of heart failure.
Additional information on HFSA can be found at http://www.hfsa.org.
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SOURCE Heart Failure Society of America
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Related links:
http://www.hfsa.org
http://www.abouthf.org
CONTACT:
Kaitlyn Siner, +1-617-226-7192, cell,
+1-401-339-0954, ksiner@bellpottingerusa.com, or Ben Hendricks,
+1-617-226-7183, cell, +1-919-522-2978,
bhendricks@bellpottingerusa.com, both for Heart Failure Society
of America
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