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Short term exposure to low levels of air pollution is associated with a higher risk of sudden heart problems, especially among older people, according to a study. Researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia found that over 90 per cent cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) occurred at PM2.5 levels lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline, a daily-average of 25 microgrammes per cubic metre. The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal, shows an association between OHCA and exposure to gaseous pollutants such as those from coal burning or mining, bushfires and motor vehicles. The study of data from Japan, chosen for its superior monitoring, population density and relative air quality, is believed to be by far the largest of its kind, the researchers said.