Climate change and cardiovascular disease: implications for global health

In the article “Climate change and cardiovascular disease: implications for global health”, Khraishah et al. explore how climate change, driven by human activities, poses the greatest threat to both planetary and human health. It is characterized by shifts in weather patterns and air conditions, leading to extreme temperatures, increased frequency of droughts, wildfires, dust storms, coastal flooding, and hurricanes. These changes have complex and diverse impacts on health, including the promotion of non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular disease. Addressing this climate crisis requires collaboration among medical professionals, scientific researchers, public health officials, and policymakers to mitigate the consequences of global warming. In this review, the authors provide an overview of the cardiovascular health consequences of climate change, exploring direct exposure pathways such as temperature shifts, air pollution, forest fires, dust storms, and extreme weather events. They also identify populations most vulnerable to these health effects and propose potential mitigation strategies that emphasize collaboration across scientific, governmental, and policy levels. Read Full Article