Top Line
According to the 2024 World Heart Report, global deaths from heart disease, diabetes and obesity caused by air pollution have increased significantly over the past decade, with climate change emissions helping to exacerbate this.
Air pollution
Key Facts
Between 2010 and 2019, heart disease-related deaths attributable to air pollution increased by as much as 27 percent in some places, and of the 4.2 million outdoor air pollution-related deaths in 2019, heart disease was responsible for about 70 percent of the deaths, according to a report released Saturday by the World Heart Federation.
In 2019, there were 900,000 deaths from stroke and almost 2 million deaths from coronary heart disease linked to air pollution, with increases of 20% to 27% compared to 2010 in all World Health Organization regions except the Americas (up 2.4%) and Europe (down 19.2%).
Levels of particulate matter – tiny air particles that can ingest and have adverse health effects – fell by 1% each year between 2010 and 2019 but were still more than six times the amount recommended by the World Health Organization.
Only 14% of countries experienced a significant decrease in particulate matter over this period, with the largest declines occurring mainly in European countries (25% to 35%), while the largest increases were in Angola, Cape Verde, Liberia, Palau and Sierra Leone.
Previous studies have shown that air pollution has a negative impact on obesity and diabetes, and because many people with these diseases also have heart disease, the effects of air pollution on these groups may indirectly be causing the large increases in mortality, the report said.
Causes of Air Pollution
Air pollution is made up of hazardous substances that come from both natural and human-made sources. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are several sources of air pollution, including automobile exhaust, fumes from chemicals, gases used for home heating, and by-products of industrial electricity production, which are the main sources of human-made air pollution. Naturally occurring harmful substances include smoke from wildfires, volcanic ash, and gases such as methane that come from the decomposition of organic matter in the soil.
How will climate change affect air pollution?
According to the report, climate change and air pollution are interrelated and exacerbate each other. Climate-related weather changes cause increases in particulate matter and ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone is a harmful gas and the main component of smog. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, climate change can cause an increase in weather events such as wildfires and dust storms, which can increase the emission of dangerous particulate matter and lead to worsening health conditions. Increased outdoor air pollution can lead to worse indoor air quality as it can enter homes and buildings through open doors and ventilation systems. Black carbon, one of the main components of particulate matter, is one of the largest contributors to global warming after carbon dioxide. It is a heat-absorbing chemical, so it absorbs light, warming the Earth’s atmosphere and causing ice and snow to melt.
Amazing facts
According to the report, household air pollution caused 3.2 million deaths worldwide between 2010 and 2019, roughly the same number as deaths linked to outdoor air pollution. In low- and middle-income countries, many of these deaths were due to lack of access to electricity or gas for cooking. More than 2 billion people worldwide rely on polluting fuels such as coal, wood, charcoal and crop waste for their daily survival.
Main Background
According to the WHO, in 2019, heart disease was the leading cause of death worldwide and in the United States, followed by stroke. According to the EPA, one in three Americans has heart or vascular disease, and deaths from heart disease usually affect people over 65 years of age. People who are more susceptible to fine particulate matter are the elderly, obese people, people with diabetes, non-whites, people with underlying medical conditions, and people of lower economic status. Short-term exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and arrhythmia, while long-term exposure increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and death. While reducing air pollutant emissions should be the top priority, the World Heart Federation believes that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fiber, and protein, supplements such as omega fatty acids, and medications for heart disease patients who are unavoidably exposed to high air pollution can help prevent the cardiovascular effects of air pollution.