February is American Heart Month!
What’s Up, Forsyth?? This February isn’t just about Valentine’s Day, it’s also American Heart Month . Did you know that small pollution particles in our air could lead to big problems for our hearts? Triad Air Awareness participated in the Go Red Day Heart Healthy Carnival in Greensboro on February 2 nd . Air Awareness Coordinator Sarah Coffey shared information on the link between air pollution and cardiovascular disease with residents of Abbotswood at Irving Park. When we discuss the health effects of air pollution, we often focus on breathing problems or lung disease, but certain types of air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5) , can worsen existing cardiovascular (heart or blood vessel) disease or even contribute to the development of disease. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) , “exposure to increased concentrations of PM2.5 over a few hours to weeks can trigger cardiovascular disease-related heart attacks and death. Longer-term