A pilot study published in Discover Public Health found a direct, short-term link between rising air pollution and cardiovascular emergencies in Delhi. Researchers analyzed over 41,000 hospital admissions from January to July 2021, observing a significant increase in heart-related events within 24 hours of pollution spikes. For every 10-unit rise in AQI, PM10, and PM2.5, admissions increased by 1.8%, 1.2%, and 2.0% respectively. No consistent trend was found in Shimla.