a.. Hundreds of community health studies have linked daily increases in
particle pollution to reduced lung function, greater use of asthma
medications, and increased rates of school absenteeism, emergency room
visits, hospital admissions, and premature death.iv
a.. In people with heart disease, very short-term exposures of one hour to
elevated fine particle concentrations have been linked to irregular heart
beats and heart attacks.v
a.. Long-term epidemiological studies have repeatedly demonstrated that
people living in areas with high fine particle concentrations have an
increased risk of premature death compared to those in cleaner cities.vi
The risk of dying early from cardio-respiratory diseases and lung cancer is
higher in more polluted areas.vii  Lives might be shortened by one to two
years on average.viii
a.. Fine particle pollution is especially harmful to people with lung
diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, because particles can
aggravate these diseases.ix  Exposure to fine particle air pollution can
trigger asthma flare-ups and cause wheezing, coughing, and respiratory
irritation in individuals with sensitive airways.x  People with heart
disease such as coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure and
people with diabetes are at risk of serious cardiac effects.xi