Sourced Air Pollution, Heat Waves Together Linked to Higher CV Mortality Risk
A multicountry study published in JACC reveals that combined exposure to fire-sourced air pollution and heat waves significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular mortality. The findings indicate that these climate-related hazards have a synergistic effect that is more dangerous than either hazard alone.
Why it matters
Understanding the compound health risks of climate change is essential for public health policy and emergency response strategies during extreme weather events.
Combined exposure to substantial fire-sourced air pollution (SFAP) and heat waves was associated with a higher excess risk of cardiovascular mortality than exposure to either hazard alone, according to a multicountry time-series study published July 29 in JACC . The findings suggest that evaluating landscape fire smoke and heat waves as separate hazards may underestimate short-term cardiovascular mortality risk.
Bo Wen, PhD , et al., analyzed nationally representative cardiovascular mortality data from 2000 to 2019 across six countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico and Thailand. To assess the individual and combined effects of SFAP and heat waves, each day was classified as no hazard, heat-wave only, SFAP-only or compound exposure. Researchers then calculated relative risk (RR) and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI).
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