Impact of Climate Change on Cardiovascular Health
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Climate change is profoundly impacting cardiovascular disease through rising temperatures, more extreme weather events, and worsening air pollution. This review analyzes how these factors affect cardiovascular health.
RECENT FINDINGS: Extreme heat and cold cause physiological changes, including increasing the risk of blood clots, faster heart rates, and inflammation. Air pollution and wildfire smoke lead to oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, leading to heightened cardiovascular risk. Extreme weather disrupts healthcare access, complicating chronic condition management and negatively impacts people from lower socioeconomic communities. Climate-related stressors also affect mental health, which in turn impacts cardiovascular health. Long-term changes, such as food insecurity and migration, further strain heart health due to poor diets and psychological stress. Cardiologists must understand these risks to better support and treat patients in our changing climate.
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