Health

Traffic pollution can raise a driver's blood pressure, study says

By Mallika Marshall, MD

November 29, 2023 / 6:12 PM EST / CBS Boston

BOSTON - Getting stuck in rush-hour traffic can literally make your blood boil and not just because you're frustrated and stressed.

A new study out of the University of Washington found that pollution from tailpipe exhaust, brake and tire wear, and road dust can raise your blood pressure while you're sitting in the car.

Researchers drove healthy participants in rush-hour Seattle traffic and found that breathing unfiltered air caused a bump in blood pressure by more than 4.5 mm Hg compared to driving around in a car equipped with a HEPA filter. The effects on blood pressure lasted up to 24 hours.

Long-term exposure to traffic-related pollution has also been linked to heart disease, asthma, lung cancer, and an increased risk of death.

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Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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