Exercise Caution In Polluted Air

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - We know that every 29 seconds a person will suffer a heart attack and one person dies of a heart attack every minute here in the United States. There are certain risk factors like a family history of heart disease, cigarette smoking and sedentary lifestyle that can increase the risk.

But according to an article in the journal The Lancet, there are other factors that are often not considered. Air pollution is now considered a risk factor based on information from 36 separate studies. The quality of the air we breathe plays a role in both the short term and the long run.

One of the suggestions from the article is that people should seriously consider the environment in which they work out. If it is a highly polluted area you should consider another location.

Reported By Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio Medical Editor