Rising global temperatures and heatwaves pose a significant risk to cardiovascular health, disproportionately impacting the elderly and people with cardiovascular disease.
How do heat extremes and heatwaves impact cardiovascular health in vulnerable populations?
This scientific statement highlights the increasing cardiovascular risks posed by global warming and heatwaves, emphasizing the need for targeted research and interventions for vulnerable populations.
Globally, hot weather and heatwaves are claiming lives and are predicted to become increasingly deadly under all future climate change scenarios. Rising global temperatures pose a significant risk on cardiovascular health, disproportionately impacting the elderly and people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, despite convincing epidemiological data demonstrating this increased cardiovascular risk, the physiological mechanisms that underpin this risk are less known. Exposure to elevated temperatures leads to increased inflammation, myocardial oxygen demand and dehydration, predisposing people to myocardial stress. Additionally, health and social inequities like low income, poor housing and limited access to cooling further exacerbate the health risks during heatwaves. This scientific statement provides a comprehensive discussion on the epidemiological evidence of heat-related CVD, the human physiological responses to hot environments, the impact of heat on cardiovascular health, and the relative impact of social inequalities. Finally, an agenda is provided that calls for research to understand and reduce the health risks associated with heatwaves for people with CVD.
Chaseling et al. (Tue,) conducted a review in Cardiovascular disease. Heat extremes and hot weather was evaluated. Rising global temperatures and heatwaves pose a significant risk to cardiovascular health, disproportionately impacting the elderly and people with cardiovascular disease.