[sustran] Cycling and Heart Attacks - What did the Lancet Artcle really say?????????????

[Sujit Patwardhan]

*Cycling and Heart Attacks*

1)
from *The Hindu*
http://www.thehindu.com/health/policy-and-issues/article1486872.ece

2)
>From the *Times of India*
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Danger-is-in-the-air-Cycling-biggest-trigger-of-heart-attack/articleshow/7567656.cms

3)
>From *Reuters*
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/02/24/us-heart-air-pollution-idUKTRE71N05920110224



Appears to be from the same report but the slant and content of the second
report (from the Time of India) paints cycling as the biggest villain
wheareas the first report from the Hindu, doesn't even mention cycling. The
report from Reuters in fact says in its concluding para:-

"If someone wants to avoid a heart attack they should focus on not smoking,
exercising, eating a healthy diet and maintaining their ideal
weight."...(notice, :No mention of Bicycles )



What does the Lancet article really say?
http://www.thelancet.com/

The original article is here:-
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2962296-9/fulltext
... and also reproduced here:--

4)
from *the Lancet* (The Original Article)
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2810%2962296-9/fulltext


*Public health importance of triggers of myocardial infarction: a
comparative risk assessment*

Dr Tim S Nawrot<http://www.thelancet.com/search/results?fieldName=Authors&searchTerm=Tim%20S+Nawrot>PhD
Laura
Perez<http://www.thelancet.com/search/results?fieldName=Authors&searchTerm=Laura+Perez>PhD,
Prof Nino
Künzli<http://www.thelancet.com/search/results?fieldName=Authors&searchTerm=Nino+K%C3%BCnzli>MD,
Elke
Munters<http://www.thelancet.com/search/results?fieldName=Authors&searchTerm=Elke+Munters>MD,
Prof Benoit
Nemery<http://www.thelancet.com/search/results?fieldName=Authors&searchTerm=Benoit+Nemery>MD


The Lancet, Volume 377, Issue
9767<http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/vol377no9767/PIIS0140-6736%2811%29X6008-7>,
Pages 732 - 740, 26 February 2011

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doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)62296-9[image:
http://www.thelancet.com/images/clear.gif]<http://www.thelancet.com/popup?fileName=cite-using-doi>Cite
or Link Using DOI <http://www.thelancet.com/popup?fileName=cite-using-doi>

Published Online: 24 February 2011

Original Text



*SUMMARY*

*
*

*Background*

Acute myocardial infarction is triggered by various factors, such as
physical exertion, stressful events, heavy meals, or increases in air
pollution. However, the importance and relevance of each trigger are
uncertain. We compared triggers of myocardial infarction at an individual
and population level.

*Methods*

We searched PubMed and the Web of Science citation databases to identify
studies of triggers of non-fatal myocardial infarction to calculate
population attributable fractions (PAF). When feasible, we did a
meta-regression analysis for studies of the same trigger.

*Findings*

Of the epidemiologic studies reviewed, 36 provided sufficient details to be
considered. In the studied populations, the exposure prevalence for triggers
in the relevant control time window ranged from 0·04% for cocaine use to
100% for air pollution. The reported odds ratios (OR) ranged from 1·05 to
23·7. Ranking triggers from the highest to the lowest OR resulted in the
following order: use of cocaine, heavy meal, smoking of marijuana, negative
emotions, physical exertion, positive emotions, anger, sexual activity,
traffic exposure, respiratory infections, coffee consumption, air pollution
(based on a difference of 30 μg/m3 in particulate matter with a diameter <10
μm [PM10]). Taking into account the OR and the prevalences of exposure, the
highest PAF was estimated for traffic exposure (7·4%), followed by physical
exertion (6·2%), alcohol (5·0%), coffee (5·0%), a difference of 30 μg/m3 in
PM10 (4·8%), negative emotions (3·9%), anger (3·1%), heavy meal (2·7%),
positive emotions (2·4%), sexual activity (2·2%), cocaine use (0·9%),
marijuana smoking (0·8%) and respiratory infections (0·6%).

*Interpretation*

In view of both the magnitude of the risk and the prevalence in the
population, air pollution is an important trigger of myocardial infarction,
it is of similar magnitude (PAF 5—7%) as other well accepted triggers such
as physical exertion, alcohol, and coffee. Our work shows that ever-present
small risks might have considerable public health relevance.

*Funding*

The research on air pollution and health at Hasselt University is supported
by a grant from the Flemish Scientific Fund (FWO, Krediet aan
navorsers/G.0873.11), tUL-impulse financing, and bijzonder onderzoeksfonds
(BOF) and at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven by the sustainable
development programme of BELSPO (Belgian Science Policy).

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-- 
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*“..each million we invest into urban motorways is an investment
to destroy the city“*

Mayor Hans Joachim Vogel
Munich 1970

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Sujit Patwardhan
patwardhan.sujit at gmail.com
sujit at parisar.org <sujitjp at gmail.com>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yamuna, ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411 007, India
Tel: +91 20 25537955
Cell: +91 98220 26627
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Parisar: www.parisar.org
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-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
*“..each million we invest into urban motorways is an investment
to destroy the city“*

Mayor Hans Joachim Vogel
Munich 1970

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Sujit Patwardhan
patwardhan.sujit at gmail.com
sujit at parisar.org <sujitjp at gmail.com>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yamuna, ICS Colony, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune 411 007, India
Tel: +91 20 25537955
Cell: +91 98220 26627
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parisar: www.parisar.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------