A new study has found that air purifiers, specifically ones with HEPA air filters, might lower blood pressure in certain groups and therefore boost cardiovascular health, as reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Short and long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to a range of health conditions, including high blood pressure. Scientists set out to look more closely at this by studying a small group of 154 participants, all of whom lived near a highway and were regularly exposed to air pollution because of this.
All of the participants in the study were over 30 (the average age was 41), and a majority were of a higher socioeconomic status. They all lived full-time at the highway-adjacent residence, and none of the participants had a history of heart attack, stroke, or other major cardiovascular event.
None took blood pressure of anti-inflammation medications. The group’s average blood pressure reading was a normal 118.8/76.5mmHg at baseline (The American Heart Association recommends aiming for 120/80mmHg or lower.)
The researchers installed custom-made HealthMate HEPA air purifiers in the participants' bedrooms and living rooms during the two-month study. Participants were "encouraged, but [not required], to keep doors and windows shut as much as possible. of the time," and their blood pressures were measured four times over the eight weeks.
For the first four weeks, all of the participants had no filtration. In the final four weeks of the experiment, half of the group received ‘sham purification’ and the other half received HEPA purification. All participants answered questions about their exposure to second-hand smoke, stress levels, exercise frequency, and general health.
The study found that the introduction of HEPA filters in the homes of people who live near a highway resulted in a modest but significant reduction in systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure refers to the higher number in a blood pressure reading — it represents the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats and pumps blood out.
The reading is the maximum pressure against the artery walls during the heart’s contraction. A healthy systolic blood pressure is generally considered to be less than 120 mm Hg.
In the study, the average net reduction in the homes with HEPA filters was 3 mm Hg. Although this is a small study, it shows how improving the air quality of your home can have positive effects on your overall health.
Though it's important to make sure that you find the best place to put your air purifier, and invest in a model that'll be able to cover the space you want to filter.
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