What you need to know

Inhaling polluted ambient air has many health effects, including childhood onset of asthma, and onset and progression of atherosclerosis
Vulnerable people can consider using well fitted N95 face masks, avoiding outdoor exercise on days when the air quality is poor, and using indoor HEPA air filters
Consider establishing air quality monitoring and warning systems for use by clinicians and in hospitals

Case 1—A man in his late 50s with a history of chronic stable angina, arterial hypertension, and a family history of cardiovascular disease presents with acute onset chest pain and is diagnosed with NSTEMI myocardial infarction. He lives in an industrialised city with annual particulate matter (PM_2.5) levels higher than 50 µg/m³, which spiked to 90 µg/m³ in the days before his myocardial infarction.

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