Pollution linked to heart disease

Los Angeles -- A U.S. study indicated exposure to diesel exhaust can cause heart disease in people with high cholesterol.

The report from the University of California, Los Angeles found that tiny particles of soot from trucks and factories combine with cholesterol to activate genes that trigger hardening of the arteries, the Los Angeles Times said Thursday.

The report is published online in the journal Genome Biology.
Scientists have long reported that deaths from lung diseases, heart attacks and strokes are significantly higher on days with high pollution levels, the newspaper said.

The report said diesel particles enter the body from the lungs and then react with fats in the arteries to alter how genes are activated.

Diesel exhaust has also been linked to lung cancer, asthma attacks and DNA damage, the newspaper said.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.