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Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease: a Focus on Vulnerable Populations Worldwide

  • Cardiovascular Disease (R Foraker, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Epidemiology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Certain subgroups defined by sociodemographics (race/ethnicity, age, sex, and socioeconomic status [SES]), geographic location (rural vs. urban), comorbid conditions, and country economic conditions (developed vs. developing) may disproportionately suffer the adverse cardiovascular effects of exposure to ambient air pollution. Yet, previous reviews have had a broad focus on the general population without consideration of these potentially vulnerable populations.

Recent Findings

Over the past decade, a wealth of epidemiologic studies have linked air pollutants including particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, subclinical CVD, clinical cardiovascular outcomes, and cardiovascular mortality in certain susceptible populations. Highest risk for poor CVD outcomes from air pollution exists in racial/ethnic minorities, especially in blacks compared to whites in the US, those at low SES, elderly populations, women, those with certain comorbid conditions, and developing countries compared to developed countries. However, findings are less consistent for urban compared to rural populations.

Summary

Vulnerable subgroups including racial/ethnic minorities, women, the elderly, smokers, diabetics, and those with prior heart disease had higher risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes from exposure to air pollution. There is limited data from developing countries where concentrations of air pollutants are more extreme and cardiovascular event rates are higher than that of developed countries. Further epidemiologic studies are needed to understand and address the marked disparities in CVD risk conferred by air pollution globally, particularly among these vulnerable subgroups.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, St. Luke’s Hospital, 222 S Woods Mill Road, Suite 760 North, Chesterfield, MO, 630171, USA

    Martin Tibuakuu

  2. Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Martin Tibuakuu & Erin D. Michos

  3. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Erin D. Michos & Miranda R. Jones

  4. Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA

    Ana Navas-Acien

  5. Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Miranda R. Jones

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  1. Martin Tibuakuu
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Correspondence to Martin Tibuakuu.

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Erin D. Michos reports personal fees from Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, outside the submitted work. Miranda R. Jones, Martin Tibuakuu, and Ana Navas-Acien each declare no potential conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cardiovascular Disease

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Tibuakuu, M., Michos, E.D., Navas-Acien, A. et al. Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease: a Focus on Vulnerable Populations Worldwide. Curr Epidemiol Rep 5, 370–378 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40471-018-0166-8

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