Does air pollution contribute to global cardiovascular disease–related deaths?

A recent analysis of data from nearly all World Health Organization member states clearly demonstrates a link between air pollution and mortality from cardiovascular diseases, with more of such deaths associated with air pollution in low-income countries compared with high-income countries.

In all 183 countries included in the Chronic Diseases and Translational Medicine study, ischemic heart disease-related deaths attributed to air pollution were higher than stroke-related deaths caused by air pollution. In 2019, outdoor air pollution caused 16 ischemic heart disease-related deaths per 100,000 people in high-income countries compared with 70 per 100,000 in low-income countries.

Also, in low-income countries, household air pollution due to polluting fuels and stoves for cooking was a major problem. It contributed to greater than 2-times more stroke-related deaths than outdoor air pollution (39 stroke-related deaths per 100,000 versus 19 per 100,000).

“Effective air pollution control along with the lifestyle modifications and disease management should be essential components of cardiovascular disease preventive strategies,” said corresponding author Nikolai Khaltaev, MD, of the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases, in Switzerland.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cdt3.116