An Air Purifier Could Make a Big Impact on Your Blood Pressure

Air pollution can raise the risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. New research suggests that using at-home air purifiers with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters may help lower blood pressure for some people who live near busy roads.

HEPA Air Filters May Reduce Blood Pressure

Using HEPA air purifiers at home for a month lowered systolic blood pressure (SBP) by an average of 3 mm Hg in adults with elevated blood pressure, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The 154 participants in the study lived within 200 meters of a major road, and they weren’t taking any blood pressure medications.

“Elevated blood pressure is one of the leading causes of illness and death, so even small changes in blood pressure are impactful,” Doug M. Brugge, PhD, lead author of the study and professor and chair of the department of public health sciences at the UConn Health, told Verywell.

The study findings align with a 2020 review that found in-home air purifiers reduced SBP by about 4 mm Hg. Research suggests that lowering SBP by just 5 mm Hg can reduce stroke deaths by 14% and cardiovascular events by 10%.

The study found no significant effect on diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading), which was expected since systolic is more sensitive to short-term changes, Brugge said.

Why Air Pollution Raises Blood Pressure

Fine particulate matter, which is about 30 times smaller than the width of a strand of human hair, can seep indoors from automobiles and factories.

Paraphrasing below: Breathing in traffic pollution can put stress on the body by raising heart rate and tightening blood vessels. Over time, it can also damage the arteries, which increases the risk of high blood pressure, according to Karishma Patwa, MD, a board-certified cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology.

Wildfire smoke is another major source of indoor particulate matter. A recent study in Montana showed that during four or more wildfire days, systolic blood pressure rose by 3.83 mm Hg and diastolic by 2.36 mm Hg.

In 2015, fine particulate matter was responsible for 4.2 million global deaths—over half from cardiovascular disease.

Indoor Air Pollution Poses Heart and Lung Ri

Air pollution is often discussed in terms of outdoor sources, but cooking and smoking indoors also add to particulate matter pollution, said Sarath Raju, MD, MPH, a pulmonologist and assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

People in the U.S. spend about 90% of their time indoors. Exposure to indoor air pollutants can cause headaches, dizziness, eye irritation, respiratory diseases, heart issues, and cancer. Older adults and people with underlying heart issues, diabetes, and elevated cholesterol levels have a higher risk of cardiovascular problems from particulate matter air pollution.

Getting an air purifier is one way to reduce indoor air pollution. “Even if you don’t live near a high traffic area, I would consider this a strategy, particularly in vulnerable populations who may face greater risk for adverse cardiovascular effects or have greater risk for lung disease from my air pollution exposure,” Raju said.

How to Choose the Right Air Purifier

If you decide to get an air purifier for your home, look for one with a HEPA filter, which is effective against most harmful particles in the air. Carbon filter can also reduce certain gases, so finding a purifier with both is ideal, Raju said.

He added that other ways to lower indoor air pollution exposure include not smoking inside, keeping windows closed during high-pollution days, and using an induction stove instead of a gas stove.