City life can be a rich mosaic of activities that includes a variety of life experiences. From access to art and culture, to the numerous recreational opportunities that come with being in an urban setting, city life can be both fun and exciting. However, as most people probably know, urban living can entail a certain number of costs, as well. From the crowds, noise and pollution, an urban existence can lead to a number of economic and health considerations, and research seems to support this.

In fact, a new study has determined that people who reside in urban areas are prone to higher blood pressure, mainly as a result of exposure to pollution. In order to make this connection, researchers followed over 5000 people as part of a population based study looking at the onset of heart disease. Previous studies had examined the effects of acute exposure to air pollution and blood pressure, but this was the first to study medium and long-term exposure.

What they found was that there was indeed a link between the two. Employing standard measuring techniques to monitor exposure to air pollution and blood pressure, scientists found that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure rose with a increase in exposure to airborne pollution originating from both combustion sources (traffic, factories, heating) as well as roadway pollution. The association existed even after adjusting for such factors as age, weight, gender and smoking, and were stronger for women than men. Consequently, it has been determined that people who live in polluted areas are at greater risk for suffering and dying from cardiovascular disease, which includes atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and stroke.

Another important consideration is the increased exposure to noise that often occurs in the city. Chronic noise has been linked to both hypertension as well heart disease, though the authors of the study indicated that the observed effect on blood pressure was most likely not the result of noise.

The findings thus suggest that air pollution can not only trigger life-threatening conditions, but may in fact be a root cause of them. Thus, in conjunction with the detrimental effects on the respiratory system, may be a contributing factor in the overall decline in a person’s health. Experts therefore encourage people to limit their exposure to air pollution as much as possible.

Currently there are several studies going on in both Europe and the United States to shed more light on the chronic health consequences of continual exposure to pollution, including hypertension.

For more information about high blood pressure, visit the website for the American Heart Association. For tips on keeping your blood pressure in check, check out the website for National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This post was included in All Things Eco Blog Carnival, Vol. 102 and the Carnival of Everything Home, May 26th Edition.