公害による死者の世界的規模が明らかに(Global scale of deaths caused by pollution laid bare)

2024-06-05

2024-06-04 エディンバラ大学

環境汚染物質(化学物質、光害など)は、戦争、テロ、マラリア、HIV、結核、薬物、アルコールよりも大きな健康リスクをもたらすとされています。これらの汚染物質が心血管疾患のリスクをどのように高めるかを理解し、最も危険にさらされている人々を特定するために、監視の強化が急務です。心血管疾患は年間2000万人以上の死因であり、大気汚染はそのうちの5分の1を占めます。特に山火事の煙による健康被害が増加しており、毎年約34万～67万5千人の早期死亡を引き起こしています。研究チームは都市設計の改善や公害の危険性に関する公衆衛生キャンペーンの強化、化石燃料産業への補助金廃止などを提唱しています。

<関連情報>

環境はそれほど優しくない:地球温暖化、大気汚染、山火事: JACCフォーカスセミナー第1部 Environmentally Not So Friendly: Global Warming, Air Pollution, and Wildfires: JACC Focus Seminar, Part 1

Mark R. Miller PhD, Philip J. Landrigan MD, MSc, Manish Arora PhD, David E. Newby DSc, Thomas Münzel MD, Jason C. Kovacic MD, PhD
Journal of the American College of Cardiology Available online: 3 June 2024
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2024.03.424

Highlights

Global warming and air pollution are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Global warming is also increasing the occurrence of wildfires, which further drives air pollution and promotes cardiovascular disease through mechanisms that involve oxidative stress, inflammation, atherogenic effects, and impaired cardiac function.
These issues underscore the urgent need to address global warming and air pollution.

Abstract

Environmental stresses are increasingly recognized as significant risk factors for adverse health outcomes. In particular, various forms of pollution and climate change are playing a growing role in promoting noncommunicable diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. Given recent trends, global warming and air pollution are now associated with substantial cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. As a vicious cycle, global warming increases the occurrence, size, and severity of wildfires, which are significant sources of airborne particulate matter. Exposure to wildfire smoke is associated with cardiovascular disease, and these effects are underpinned by mechanisms that include oxidative stress, inflammation, impaired cardiac function, and proatherosclerotic effects in the circulation. In the first part of a 2-part series on pollution and cardiovascular disease, this review provides an overview of the impact of global warming and air pollution, and because of recent events and emerging trends specific attention is paid to air pollution caused by wildfires.