City breaks are often a good option for people wanting a getaway during the autumn and winter months.
But being exposed to polluted air for just a few days could have a detrimental impact on a person’s health.
Scientists in Jordan collated data from more than 18 million cases of stroke to explore the risk of people suffering the condition within five days of being exposed to polluted air.
They found higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide as well as different sizes of particulate matter to lead to an increased risk of stroke.
The authors of the study, published in the journal Neurology, also saw the risk of dying as a result of a stroke also rose with higher levels of pollution.
The scientists said their results reinforced the importance of global efforts to reduce pollution.
The researchers, from the University of Jordan in the country’s capital city of Amman, reviewed 110 studies involving a collective figure of more than 18 million strokes from mainly high-income countries.
They focused on pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide – formed when fossil fuels such as coal, oil, methane gas or diesel are burned at high temperatures – ozone gas emitted as a result of UV light and electrical discharges within the Earth’s atmosphere; carbon monoxide which mainly derives from burning material containing carbon compounds and sulphur dioxide, again formed when sulphur-containing fuel such as coal, petroleum oil, or diesel is burned.
Higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide were linked to a 33 percent increased risk of death from stroke, whilst higher levels of sulphur dioxide saw a massive 60 per cent increase in death risk.
Study author Dr Ahmad Toubasi, a medical researcher at the University of Jordan, said his team’s research proved how deadly pollution is, and how important it is that we aim to reduce it across the globe.
Dr Toubasi said: “Previous research has established a connection between long-term exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of stroke.
“However, the correlation between short-term exposure to air pollution and stroke had been less clear.
“For our study, instead of looking at weeks or months of exposure, we looked at just five days and found a link between short-term exposure to air pollution and an increased risk of stroke.
“There is a strong and significant association between air pollution and the occurrence of stroke as well as death from stroke within five days of exposure.
“This highlights the importance of global efforts to create policies that reduce air pollution.
“Doing so may reduce the number of strokes and their consequences.”
Dr Toubasi and his team did admit, however, to their study being limited by their meta-analysis mostly consisting of studies conducted in high-income countries, whilst limited data was available from low and middle-income countries that may be exposed to worse pollution.
