Relationships Between Outdoor Ambient Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disorders

Most disorders of the circulatory system have a complex etiology, involving genetic and environmental factors, lifestyle, aging, or infections. In recent years, it has been shown that air pollution not only worsens the course of cardiovascular diseases but also contributes to their occurrence. It is also known to increase all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Although the actual number of deaths caused by air pollution is difficult to determine, the World Health Organization estimates that at least 7 million premature deaths per year may result from the negative impact of air pollution. More than 70% of these deaths are due to cardiovascular complications. The response of the circulatory system to air pollution is modified by the duration of exposure, chemical composition of the pollutants, comorbidities and their treatment, age of an exposed individual, as well as changes of atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity, and pressure. The present narrative review discusses the most frequent cardiovascular disorders that are associated with exposure to air pollutants, based on a review of literature. Publications were identified through the search of PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane, and Science Direct databases. The scope of the chapter was determined by the PECOS search tool, which is generally used to identify the relevant population, exposure, comparison, outcome, and study design. Using the PECOS tool, the following studies were identified and discussed: experimental studies if available as well as epidemiological studies (panel, case-crossover, time-series studies as well as meta-analyses and systematic reviews).