Short-term effects of ambient (outdoor) air pollution on cardiovascular death in Tehran, Iran – a time series study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of ambient air pollutants on cardiovascular deaths in Tehran, Iran. In this time series study, air pollutant data were acquired from the Environmental Protection Agency. Meteorological data were acquired from the meteorological organization, and death data were acquired from the Tehran’s cemetery registration. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) were used for estimating the Rate Ratio. NO2, SO2 and PM10 were associated with total cardiovascular deaths. PM10 and NO2 showed stronger relations with deaths in the elder age group. The result of this study showed that NO2, SO2, PM10 and O3 are probably responsible for part of the cardiovascular deaths that happen daily in Tehran.