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Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range is not only essential for your long -term cardiovascular health, but is also beneficial for Your brain , Also. As a rule, the best way to control things is the diet and exercise. But now scientists say they have discovered that managing an air purifier with a HEPA filter at home can greatly help reduce your blood pressure.

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A new study has examined the link between air pollution and blood pressure.

The latest research comes from a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology . A team of researchers from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine organized 154 participants with an average age of 41 years, which lived near major roads or highways.

The group had an average basic blood pressure of 118.8 / 76.5 mmHg at the start of the study. For reference, "your blood pressure is high when you have coherent systolic readings of 130 mm Hg or more, or diastolic readings of 80 mm Hg or more", explains the National Institute of the Heart, Lungs and Blood .

The researchers installed each participant with a high -efficiency particulary (HEPA) filter or a “simulated” version of the device in their homes. They took the blood pressure from each participant and waited a full month before rereading it. The team then instituted another "washing" period of one month during which the aircraft was completely deleted before repeating another month with the opposite device of its first cycle, so that each participant was able to live both.

HEPA filters have contributed to "considerably reduce" blood pressure.

At the end of the three months, the researchers analyzed any change in blood pressure among the participants. The results revealed that there was a DROP 2.8 mmHg In systolic blood pressure (SBP) after the month, they had a real hepa filter operating in their homes.

On the other hand, the team recorded a slight increase in SBP following the execution of 0.2 mmHg "SHAM" filters. In both cases, there was no significant change in diastolic blood pressure. Given the two figures, the team concluded that using a HEPA filter provided a difference of 3.0 mmHg.

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Air pollution could be a risk of cardiovascular health.

Because study participants resided near major roads, one of the most important dishes in the study is that the quality of our environment could potentially create health complications. It is also far from the first study to suggest such a connection.

A study published in the Annals of internal medicine In November 2023, examined the blood pressure data of 16 participants aged 22 to 45. The group was responsible for leading to traffic in Seattle for three days. The first two days, unlisted air was allowed to enter the car. On the third, the researchers installed a HEPA filter to rub the air, in particular by removing dangerous particles from PM 2.5 which are part of air pollution.

All participants had their blood pressure recorded every 24 hours during the study. The results revealed that the participants had a Increase of 4.5 mmHg In their readings, breathing in unrefreted air, the point lasts up to 24 hours. Experts said the results were not surprising.

"PM 2.5 particles can pass through the mucosa of blood vessels and in the circulatory system, affecting the heart and vascular tone, including arterial rigidity", " Loren WOLD , PHD, a researcher and professor at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and expert on the cardiovascular effects of air pollution, told MedicalNewstDay. "This is what causes high blood pressure."

Here is what the results could mean for you.

UCONN researchers admitted that there were a few limits to their study, including the fact that participants' pool lacked socio -economic diversity or people taking blood pressure drugs. But even if the use of a HEPA filter seemed to lead to a slight drop in the readings of the participants, it was still important.

"The medical literature shows that even on this magnitude, there may be a significant advantage in terms of reducing the risk of serious cardiovascular results, such as the heart attack and the brain vascular accidents", " Douglas Brugge , PhD, the main author of the study and president of the Department of Public Health Sciences in Uconn Health, said NBC News .

The team also said their results justified additional research.

"Crushing evidence shows the harmful effects of the health of exposure to PM2.5, even at levels lower than current American standards", " Jonathan Newman , MD, an associate professor at the Nyu Grossman School of Medicine, wrote in a editorial commentary accompanying the study. "As health professionals, we must educate the public and support policies that protect clean air and improve the health of all Americans."

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The point to take away.

A new study revealed that using a HEPA filter could help lower your blood pressure. The researchers noted that the participants (who lived near the roads or highways that were very popular) who had a installed at home saw a 3.0 mmHg drop in their readings compared to the moment when they had a "simulated" filter installed in their house.

"High blood pressure remains one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease," said Brugge in a press release. "This research adds to increasing evidence that simple interventions, such as home air filtration, can help improve heart health for risky people."