Environmental Factors and Peripheral Artery Disease

In addition to the classical environmental factorsEnvironmental factors that include unhealthy dietDiet, lack of physical activityPhysical activity and mental stressMental stress, environmental pollution, and fluctuations in ambient temperatureAmbient temperature due to climate changesClimate change were recently linked to PAD pathogenesis, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality worldwide. Moreover, there is compelling evidence that the classical environmental factors enhance the effects of environmental pollution in developing and worsening atherosclerosisAtherosclerosis and PAD, and vice versa. The following sections discuss the connection between environmental factorsEnvironmental factors and atherosclerotic PADPeripheral artery disease and provide recommendations from the experts in the field on how to prevent or minimize their effects to slow down the progression of the disease and improve its symptoms. The precise molecular and cellular mechanisms by which environmental and air pollutionAir pollution cause atherosclerosisAtherosclerosis and PAD are not fully understood. Therefore, more research is promptly needed to unravel these mechanisms and provide the best preventive measures to enlighten the community and health providers and help health officials and policymakers develop and implement effective strategies to protect people from environmental pollution and climate change'sClimate change deleterious effects on cardiovascular health, improve wellbeing, quality of life and reduce the financial burden of the cardiovascular diseasesCardiovascular diseases on the healthcare system.