Four of the world’s leading heart health organizations warned Tuesday that environmental factors, including pollution, noise exposure and artificial light, are major drivers of cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke.
In their first-ever joint statement published in the European Heart Journal, the European Society of Cardiology, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the World Heart Federation estimated that environmental and climate-related hazards cause about 20% of the 20 million deaths annually from cardiovascular disease (CVD) — a group of diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels.
Pollution alone is responsible for 9 to 12.6 million deaths every year, the researchers said.
“CVD remains the leading cause of death worldwide and environmental stressors have become its silent accelerators,” Thomas Münzel, a professor and cardiologist at the University Medical Center of Mainz in Germany, said in a press release that accompanied the study. Münzel was the lead author of the new paper.
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The organizations cited air pollution, chemical and plastic pollution, exposure to excessive noise and artificial light, extreme heat, floods, wildfires and other environmental threats.
An emerging body of evidence suggests that the environment may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease more than traditional risk factors such as smoking and genetic predisposition, the authors wrote in their paper.
The risks are particularly high for people living in cities where sedentary lifestyles and poorer nutrition compound the risks from pollution, traffic noise and other environmental stressors. Today, 55% of the world’s population lives in cities; by 2050, that number is projected to rise to almost 70%, according to the United Nations.
A call to action
The health societies urged governments and health officials to treat environmental risks as core causes of disease. The paper’s authors called for stronger policies to reduce air and noise pollution, to limit the use of fossil fuels and toxic chemicals and to design healthier cities with clean transport and green spaces.
“To treat and prevent cardiovascular diseases, we must tackle the root causes and the increasing pressure of environmental risks. Intense exposure to air pollution and other forms of contamination take their toll especially on the most vulnerable. It’s imperative that all sectors act now and play their part to reduce and mitigate risks so that cardiovascular health for all becomes reality,” said World Heart Federation Vice President Amam Mbakwem.
“The time for action on addressing the impact of the environment on cardiovascular health is now and essential to reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease around the world,” said Christopher Kramer, president of the American College of Cardiology.
