Cycling has been found to be one of the biggest heart attack triggers.

Many people opt to cycle to work thinking that they are improving their health by completing daily exercise but a study, published in medical journal The Lancet, has revealed that the extreme traffic exposure that cyclists are open to, is one of the biggest triggers of heart attacks.

The study found the cyclists were at the biggest risk, compared to those who walk and drive to work, as they were exposed to the most pollution.

The study calculated the risk of having a heart attack whilst doing different activities and found that top triggers were traffic exposure, at 7.4 per cent, followed by physical exertion, at 6.2 per cent, and alcohol at 5 per cent.

Other risk factors included were negative emotions (3.9 per cent), sexual activity (2.2 per cent) and the use of cocaine (0.9 per cent).

Based on these findings, Judy O’Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said the benefits of exercising outdoors outweighed the risks from air pollution for most individuals, and urged people not to be put off running, walking or cycling in towns and cities.

By Lauren King