{"id":3680,"date":"2023-05-05T07:05:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-05T07:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepoetryofscience.peachpuff-wolverine-566518.hostingersite.com\/?p=3680"},"modified":"2023-05-05T07:05:25","modified_gmt":"2023-05-05T07:05:25","slug":"pollutions-rhythm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/thepoetryofscience\/3680\/pollutions-rhythm\/","title":{"rendered":"Pollution\u2019s Rhythm"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the chambers of our heart
\nthere lies a steady surge,
\na metronome of life
\nbestowed
\nto keep the beat.
\nOn stifled skies
\nand hazy winds
\nthey come,
\nashen hymns
\nof malcontent
\nthat spoil
\nand clash
\nand jar.<\/p>\n

The beat breaks.<\/p>\n

And notes
\nfall
\nfree
\nin \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0wild
\nunbridled \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0song \u2013<\/p>\n

symptoms of an air
\nthat suffocates
\nwith every
\nburning breath.
\nA frantic hand
\npicks up the pace,
\nsetting tone
\nand speed
\nfor the discord
\nof this broken
\nlife.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Beijing smog as seen from the China World Hotel, March 2003 (Image Credit: Kevin Dooley via Flickr).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This poem is inspired by recent research<\/a>, which has found that air pollution exposure is associated with an increased risk of irregular heartbeat.<\/p>\n

Arrhythmia is a condition where the heart’s electrical activity is disturbed. The common arrhythmia conditions atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, affect an estimated 60 million people globally, and in some cases can lead to serious cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, stroke, and even death. Air pollution, which is a complex mixture of particulates and gases (such as nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone), has been identified as a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, and has also been linked to the onset of arrhythmia.<\/p>\n

In this new study, researchers evaluated hourly exposure to air pollution and the sudden onset of symptoms of arrythmia using data from 2025 hospitals in 322 Chinese cities. In total they analysed data from over 190,000 patients, and found that the risk of arrhythmia was higher within the first few hours of exposure to air pollution, especially for atrial fibrillation (rapid, irregular atrial contractions), atrial flutter (rapid, regular atrial contractions), and supraventricular tachycardia (rapid heart rate). Given that air pollution in China is extremely high, this research further highlights the need to reduce pollution levels and take measures to protect those who are more susceptible to the harmful effects of air pollutants.<\/p>\n