Environmental Exposures and Cardiovascular Disease: A Challenge for Health and Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

• Published in: Cardiology clinics Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 71 - 86
• Main Authors: Burroughs Peña, Melissa S, Rollins, Allman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01-02-2017
• Subjects: Cardiovascular Diseases - economics; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Developing Countries; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Humans; Incidence; Poverty; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Cadmium; Arsenic; Household air pollution; Environmental health; Lead; Air pollution; Cardiovascular disease; Heavy metals
• ISSN: 0733-8651; 1558-2264
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ccl.2016.09.001

Environmental exposures in low- and middle-income countries lie at the intersection of increased economic development and the rising public health burden of cardiovascular disease. Increasing evidence suggests an association of exposure to ambient air pollution, household air pollution from biomass fuel, lead, arsenic, and cadmium with multiple cardiovascular disease outcomes, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality. Although populations in low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately exposed to environmental pollution, evidence linking these exposures to cardiovascular disease is derived from populations in high-income countries. More research is needed to further characterize the extent of environmental exposures.