Air Pollution Linked to Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) February 24, 2017 -- While the correlation between air pollution and respiratory complications is well-known, a new scientific study conducted over fifteen years has been published, which shows strong evidence that polluted air can cause cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's.
Inhaling polluted air is well-known to cause lung cancer, asthma, allergies, and heart disease, but recent studies show that breathing in polluted air can DOUBLE the risk of dementia, especially in older women. In fact, women aged 65 to 79 exposed to heavier air pollution were four times more likely to experience cognitive decline*. Women with the APOE4 gene (a genetic variant that occurs in 20% of the population and presents an increased risk for Alzheimer’s) combined with exposure to air pollution were 295% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than the control group*. The link is still being explored to determine the risk quantities and confirm casual causation, but as more research is being conducted, the connection is becoming stronger.
It is not just big cities or highly polluted metropolitan areas that are exposed to these dangerous micro particles. The EPA states “indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air.”* Because Americans “[spend] approximately 90% of their time indoors,”* the dangers of indoor air are significantly higher (due to the extensive exposure) than what is typically considered to be “polluted air,” i.e., smog, car exhaust, etc.
One of the most effective ways to reduce the harmful pollutants, pollen, dust, dander, and smoke in homes is by changing HVAC air filters on a regular schedule. The average heating and cooling system pushes all the home’s air through the filter every ninety minutes. By changing the filter(s) regularly and using an appropriate grade of filter, the amount of pollutants in the home can be minimized.
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Launched in 2012, Raleigh-based FilterEasy offers consumers a subscription-based HVAC air filter fulfillment service using a proprietary web-based platform to provide a convenient solution to a common lingering problem – remembering when to change an HVAC air filter. FilterEasy’s subscription model guarantees that correct size HVAC air filters are conveniently delivered to a home’s doorstep so they may be changed on a regular basis, which can reduce monthly heating and cooling expenses by 5%-15%. Visit FilterEasy.com.
Works Cited
*Cacciottolo, M., X. Wang, I. Driscoll, N. Woodward, A. Saffari, J. Reyes, M. L. Serre, W. Vizuete, C. Sioutas, T. E. Morgan, M. Gatz, H. C. Chui, S. A. Shumaker, S. M. Resnick, M. A. Espeland, C. E. Finch, and J. C. Chen. "Particulate air pollutants, APOE alleles and their contributions to cognitive impairment in older women and to amyloidogenesis in experimental models." Nature News. Nature Publishing Group, 01 Jan. 2017. Web. 21 Feb. 2017. http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v7/n1/full/tp2016280a.html
*Weuve J, Puett RC, Schwartz J, Yanosky JD, Laden F, Grodstein F. Exposure to
particulate air pollution and cognitive decline in older women. Arch Intern Med.
2012 Feb 13;172(3):219-27. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2011.683. PubMed PMID:
22332151; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3622279.
*"Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Systems, Part of Indoor Air Quality Design Tools for Schools." United States Environmental Protection Agency, 17 Oct. 2014. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.
*"EPA's Report on the Environment." United States Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.
PR Team, FilterEasy, http://www.filtereasy.com, (919) 348-9860, [email protected]
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