Abstract

Air pollution is widely recognized for its harmful effects on the lungs, but emerging evidence suggests it may also silently disrupt the rhythm of the heart. A recent large-scale study by Zhou et al. (2024) has revealed that prolonged exposure to air pollutants, particularly fine particulate matter, substantially elevates the risk of developing arrhythmias—conditions characterized by abnormal heart rhythms that may be too fast, too slow, or irregular.