The incidence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension increases with
cumulative levels of exposure to nitrogen oxides, according to a new
study led by researchers from the Slone Epidemiology Center (SEC) at
Boston University. The study, which appears online in the journal Circulation,
was led by Patricia Coogan, D.Sc., associate professor of epidemiology
at the Boston University School of Public Health and the SEC.
While it is well established that air pollution increases the risks
of acute cardiovascular events such as stroke and myocardial infarction,
it is not known whether exposure increases the risk of chronic diseases
like diabetes and hypertension. However, emerging findings from
laboratory and clinical studies suggest that air pollution may
predispose to both conditions.
