The health of your heart and entire cardiovascular system can be affected by the quality of the air you breathe. Aside from the oxygen you need, air contains other substances such as pollutants, which can be harmful.

Breathing in these pollutants can hurt your heart and other organs because pollution is absorbed into your bloodstream as you breathe. Once the chemicals in pollutants are in your bloodstream they can travel throughout your body and start a chemical chain reaction. This can affect your blood vessels and ultimately your heart.

How your cardiovascular system works

The cardiovascular system has two major components: the heart and a network of blood vessels.

The cardiovascular system supplies tissues and cells with nutrients, respiratory gases like oxygen, and hormones. It also removes foreign matter and the waste products of cellular metabolism. And it's responsible for maintaining the optimal functioning of your internal organs, body temperature, and pH.