Exposure to particulate matter (PM) pollution is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including hypertension. However, the effect of reducing PM exposure on CVD risk has been scarcely studied. To address this gap, researchers investigated the impact of indoor high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filtration on blood pressure (BP) in 154 individuals living within 200 meters of highways carrying more than 100,000 vehicles per day.
Over a one-month period, HEPA filtration use was associated with a mean reduction of 2.8 mm Hg in brachial systolic BP (SBP) among participants with elevated baseline SBP (≥120 mm Hg), compared to a mean increase of 0.2 mm Hg after using a sham filter. No significant effect was observed on diastolic BP or in participants with normal baseline SBP. These results suggest that indoor HEPA filtration can help reduce elevated SBP in…
