A massive study using data from the long-running Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study found a 5% increase in all cardiovascular events for every 10 microgram-per-cubic-meter increase in concentration of air pollutant particles under 2.5 microns in size (PM2.5).
Factoring in the vast range of concentrations in PM2.5 recorded across the globe, that means 14% of all cardiovascular events documented in the study can be attributed to PM2.5 exposure.
The strongest association between air pollution exposure and health outcomes was for strokes.
The data came from 157,436 adults aged 35-70, in 21 countries, from 2003-2018.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-06/osu-sap062320.php
Hystad, P. et al. (2020). Associations of outdoor fine particulate air pollution and cardiovascular disease in 157 436 individuals from 21 high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries (PURE): A prospective cohort study. The Lancet Planetary Health, 4(6), e235–e245. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30103-0
