Preventing an Anti-climatic Response to Climate Change

This book has provided a wide-ranging review (from global health issues to individuals traits of climatic vulnerabilityClimatic vulnerability) of the key issues surrounding climate changeClimate change and heart diseaseHeart disease. In the process it has argued for a ‘paradigm change’ in how clinicians and the broader health system consider ‘where’ people with antecedent risk factors and established forms of heart diseaseHeart disease live and work and also ‘when’ climatic conditions in that location, might provoke a clinical crisis and even death. This requires a new mindset around clinical management (including specific sections/reference to climate factors in expert guidelines) and extends to how disease statistics are reported and presented. However, it would be disingenuous to present all the facts, figures and opinions proffered in this book as the unbridled truth or beyond contest. There is still so much to learn and understand about heart diseaseHeart disease and other forms of cardiovascular disease—especially beyond high-income populations with well-developed health systems. This truism is even more stark when considering our knowledge (and potential response) to the impact of climate changeClimate change and how it will affect the global burden of heart diseaseHeart disease and other common forms of cardiovascular disease sensitive to external factors. Thus, this final chapter will critically reflect on the topics covered in each chapter and then identify what is needed in terms of action (including new research and resources) to ensure that climate-provoked cardiac events don’t overwhelm already capacity constrained health systems worldwide.