Atomic Bomb Radiation Causes Stroke and Heart Disease

Research on atomic bomb survivors in Japan who carried out during 53 years show evidence that they have a high risk of stroke and heart disease due to radiation. British Medical Journal published a study that involves 86,611 survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, which forced Japan's surrender to the Allies, and marked the end of World War II.

The researchers note, every atom bomb victims exposed to radiation doses between 0 and 4 Gy (Gray) at the time of the disaster occurs. Gray is a unit for calculating the absorbed radiation using special equipment called a dosimeter, and the amounts vary in each person, depending on the location and protection at the time of the bombing occurred.

"This study provides the strongest evidence that radiation can increase stroke and heart disease dose sufficient (particularly 0.5-2 Gy), although the results below 0.5 Gy was not statistically significant," say researchers in Japan. He also argued, "Further research should provide precise estimates of risk at low doses." According to researchers, it is a public health problem is important, because the increasing use of various types of scanners Computed Tomography (CT) scan and high dose treatment procedures.

Treatment that uses radiation is usually measured in milligray (mgy). The average radiation dose of x-ray abdomen was 1.4 mgy (0.0014 Gy), whereas the abdominal CT scan was 8.0 mgy (0008 Gy), and pelvic CT scans of the 25 mgy (0025 Gy). Research led by Yukiko Shimizu Research of Radiation Effects Research Foundation in Japan, researchers monitored the victim survived from 1950 to 2003 and found that 9,600 people died from stroke and 8,400 people die from heart disease. Researchers found a high risk of stroke and heart disease at a dose of about 0.5 Gy, and the condition will appear at higher doses.