Southeast Asia, Faces Both Increased , Pollution and Temperatures.br NBC reports that the combination of a brutal br heat wave and concerning levels of air br pollution has struck Southeast Asia. .br According to experts, the combo br has the potential to make an already br dangerous situation even deadlier.br In the past week, br both Vietnam and Laos br have recorded all-time highs. .br NBC reports that thick smog combined with br high temperatures can result in an increase in br respiratory, cardiovascular and kidney diseases.br When you have both these exposures br — and especially extremes of these br exposures — their combined effect br is more than the sum of their parts, Erika Garcia, environmental epidemiologist at the University br of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, via NBC.br According to a study published in the 'American Journal of br Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine,' a combination of high br temperatures and air pollution increases the risk of death by 21.br According to a study published in the 'American Journal of br Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine,' a combination of high br temperatures and air pollution increases the risk of death by 21.br Heat will cause the blood vessels br to dilate and air pollution will increase br inflammation in the lungs and throughout br the body, so this can further increase br the risk of heart attacks, strokes br and other cardiovascular events, Rajesh Kumar, project scientist with the National Center br for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, via NBC.br According to Rajesh Kumar, a project scientist with br the National Center for Atmospheric Research in br Colorado, these health impacts present a global concern. .br NBC reports that ongoing greenhouse gas emissions br and more frequent and severe heat waves caused by br global warming could trigger a public health crisis.br There are people who can’t protect br themselves, people who don’t have br air conditioning, people who have to br work outside. There should be an br urgency to help these people, Dr.