A study led by the University at Albany reveals that early exposure to polluted air, including prenatal exposure, can have profound and long-lasting effects on heart health.
The study particularly focuses on the risk factors related to early-stage heart disease and related conditions.
Published in the journal Circulation Research, the review sheds light on how the built environment and early exposure to air pollution can trigger early symptoms, expedite symptom progression, and increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life.
According to the study, when air pollution enters the lungs, it can cause local inflammation and oxidative stress.
Beyond the lungs, the pollutants can reach the brain, disrupting hormonal processes, including those regulating heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and digestion, all of which play a role in metabolic health.
“The ubiquity of polluted air is part of what makes it such a dangerous public health risk,” said lead author Kai Zhang. “Serious health effects often develop over time with prolonged exposure that might date back to pregnancy.
And the reality is, in many parts of the world, people are constantly breathing polluted air throughout most of their life. This is an insidious problem, with complications that build over the life course.”
Children are particularly at risk, given their higher baseline respiratory rates and the higher amount of time they spend active outdoors.
Studies link exposure to polluted air during childhood to elevated blood pressure and diabetes.
Moreover, children of mothers exposed to polluted air during pregnancy are at a higher risk of experiencing hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and obesity early in life, with faster symptom progression.
The study highlights the importance of considering various environmental, social, and lifestyle factors that collectively contribute to cardiovascular health.
Zhang stated, “As urban dwellers navigate their lives, they encounter multiple environmental exposures, such as air pollution, built environments and green space scarcity, which can all contribute to the onset of early cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors.”
The authors urge for a broader investigation of the relationship between environment and early-stage cardiovascular diseases.
They recommend multilevel interventions to promote cardiovascular well-being among children and young adults.
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The study was published in Circulation Research.
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