Extreme heat and pollution can double the risk of a heart attack

Exposure to Extreme Temperatures and Air Pollution Increases Risk of Heart Attack

According to Chinese researchers, exposure to extreme temperatures combined with suffocating air pollution can double the risk of dying from a heart attack. The researchers analyzed more than 200,000 cardiac deaths in China between 2015 and 2020.

Linking Extreme Temperatures and Air Pollution to Cardiac Death

Experts have long believed that prolonged heat waves, cold snaps, and polluted air are detrimental to heart health. The study published in the journal Circulation further strengthens this relationship by connecting it to the risk of cardiac death.

Catharina Giudice, an emergency medicine physician and fellow at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, commented on the study, stating that it is one of the first to examine death from heart attack as a result of this type of exposure.

Record-breaking heat waves and increasing pollution levels are making cardiovascular disease worse. The combination of heat and pollution has a more severe impact on heart health than each factor independently.

Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, highlighting the need to address this issue in order to achieve SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

The study, funded by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, comes at a time when prolonged heat waves and high levels of air pollution are affecting countries worldwide. These environmental factors are closely linked to climate change, which is a major challenge to achieving SDG 13: Climate Action.

Greater Risk for Women and Older Adults

The researchers focused on Jiangsu province in China, analyzing 202,678 heart attack deaths between 2015 and 2020. They found that extreme heat, extreme cold, and high levels of fine particulate matter air pollution were significantly associated with the risk of death from a heart attack, particularly for women and older adults.

The combination of extreme heat and high levels of fine particulate pollution had the greatest impact on heart attack deaths. Inhaling these particles, which result from fuel combustion and wildfire smoke, can irritate the lungs and blood vessels around the heart, leading to heart disease and other health issues.

Lifestyle Changes May Not Be Enough

Traditionally, lifestyle modifications such as quitting smoking, controlling hypertension and diabetes, losing weight, and exercising have been recommended to prevent heart disease. However, this study suggests that these changes may not be sufficient in the face of environmental factors like extreme temperatures and air pollution.

Interventional cardiologist Hitinder Gurm emphasizes the importance of addressing air pollution and extreme weather as cardiac risk factors. Individual and community-level interventions are necessary to protect vulnerable populations from severe weather conditions and poor air quality.

Recommendations for Heat Waves and High Pollution Days

• Wear an N95 mask outdoors in areas of high pollution or fire.
• Stay inside when it is excessively hot.
• Drink lots of fluids.
• Follow weather forecasts and monitor air quality levels.
• Use fans and air conditioners during hot weather.
• Install window blinds to reduce indoor temperatures.
• Use air purifiers to reduce indoor pollutants.
• Avoid busy highways when walking.
• Choose less strenuous or indoor exercises.

By implementing these measures, individuals can protect themselves from the adverse effects of heat waves and high pollution days.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
   • Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population-weighted).

3. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13: Climate Action.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   • Under SDG 3, the specific target is Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • Under SDG 11, the specific target is Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
   • Under SDG 13, the specific target is Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

   • Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease.
   • Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population-weighted).
   • Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: washingtonpost.com

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