KARACHI: Expressing serious concern over the alarming levels of environmental pollution affecting public health, experts called for urgent corrective measures, including implementation of strategies to prevent pollution exposure and related cardiovascular diseases, on Friday at a seminar.

They also underscored the need for controlling vehicular and industrial emissions as well as discouraging the practice of garbage burning, which all contribute to poor air quality.

The experts were speaking at a special session on environment and cardiovascular health,part of the first annual symposium of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases/ Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases held at a local hotel.

Giving a presentation on air pollution and cardiovascular health, Prof Zafar Fatmi, section head of the Environmental, Occupational Health and Climate Change, Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University, said that 80 per cent of the cardiovascular diseases were preventable.

`The risk factors that can easily be addressed include obesity, smoking, lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet, hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol level,` he said.Highlighting how air pollution is adversely affecting public health, he said that it was estimated to cause seven million deaths globally and ranked as the top environmental health problem.

Referring to some local studies, Prof Fatmi said the researchers observed a25to30percentincrease in hospital admissions and ER (emergency room) visits for respiratory issues due to short-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its components (which are air pollutants).

High levels of sulfate, ammonium, nitrate and black carbon, he said, were found widespread across the city that contributed to poor air quality.