Heat as a risk factor for public health

Summary. In summer 2010, European Russia experienced extremely hot weather with air temperature exceeding the average norm by more than 5 °C for over 1.5 months in several regions with population of more than 101 million people. Subsequent analysis showed that cumulative excess mortality in July and August, 2010, was 54,000 including 34,500 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 1,300 deaths from respiratory diseases when compared to the same period of 2009. In some regions, relative increase in monthly total mortality rates was 50–60 %. In Moscow, the first half of 2010 was characterized by lowering mortality in comparison with the same period of 2009 but in July and August, 2010, mortality increased by 11,000 deaths (60 % in relation to that of 2009) including 5,951 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 339 deaths from respiratory diseases.