The Synergistic Threat of Pollution and Climate Change

While it might be tempting to simplify our interactions with weather and longer-term climatic conditions as a simple byproduct of varying atmospheric conditionsAtmospheric conditions, this would be a mistake. As will be outlined in this chapter, air pollutionPollution (a nasty consequence of the mainly human activities and technology driving climate changeClimate change!) by itself, is likely cardio-toxic. Moreover, concentrations of outdoor air pollutionPollution and its impact on the cardiovascular system varies according to the prevailing climatic conditions, topographyTopography and human structures/activity. Other forms of pollutionPollution, including indoor air pollutionPollution, metal pollutantsMetal pollutants, microplasticsMicroplastics and noise pollutionNoise pollution are also important factors in eroding the capacity of an individual’s cardiovascular (and broader cardiopulmonary) system to maintain homeostasisHomeostasis when confronted with provocative climatic conditions. It is for this reason that ‘pollutionPollution’ has been elevated to the status of being a “non-traditional, major risk factor” for cardiovascular disease. But how much does climate and climate changeClimate change influence it’s impact on our heart healthHeart health? To answer this question, in this chapter the synergistic threat of pollutionPollution as both a consequence and cause of climate change will be explored.