African powder: The air we breathe affects our cardiovascular health

On the occasion of the recent weather that favours its existence, the Hellenic Cardiological Society states that exposure to desert dust particles is generally acceptable to endanger human health in a manner similar to the effects of air pollution on health, on the occasion of African dust, explains the president of the Greek Cardiological Society, Professor of Cardiology George Korchidakis. “Fresh air is fundamental to our health. Today there is strong evidence that air pollution affects various aspects of health at even lower concentrations than we thought in previous years. Each year, exposure to air pollution is still estimated to cause millions of deaths and the loss of healthy years of life. The load of diseases attributed to air pollution is now estimated to be at the same level as other major global health risks, such as unhealthy nutrition and smoking,” he says and continues: “Air pollution increases morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and lung cancer, with increasing signs of impact on other human body systems. The increase in air pollution-related diseases also entails a significant economic burden. As a result, governments around the world seek to improve air quality and reduce public health burden and air pollution costs.” Atmospheric pollution and cardiovascular diseases The Hellenic Cardiological Society wants to inform that exposure to desert dust particles is generally accepted as endangering human health in perhaps a similar way to air pollution. Epidemiological studies have shown that both cardiovascular mortality and morbidity increased during an African dust sandstorm. In particular, researchers argue that visits to cardiovascular diseases in hospital emergency departments increased during dust episodes (26%) while imports for ischemic heart disease were 16% to 21% higher in the days with sandstorm compared to other days. From the perspective of pathophysiology the inhaled dust particles deposited in pulmonary cells react chemically to human body fluids and tissues and then enter circulation. Concentrated dust storm particles cause an increase in heart rate and mean blood pressure and a decrease in cardiac contraction. At cardiovascular level, there is vasculosis and increased blood pressure, along with a systemic inflammatory process caused by the release into the circulation of inflammatory mediators and prothrombotic agents. According to scientists all these changes lead to an increase in emergency cardiovascular events for up to 4-5 days after increased concentration of African dust particles. In addition, the toxic properties of African dust particles may be modified by mixing with emissions from industrial areas on different transport routes. The increasing availability of information on dust storms from terrestrial observations, numerical models and satellite remote sensing demonstrates that there is now the possibility to investigate health effects in more detail through cooperation between physicians and environmental scientists as the global character of the challenge requires enhanced global response. Since 1987, the WHO has been issuing – periodically – health-based air quality guidelines to help governments and citizens reduce human exposure to air pollution and its adverse effects. In 2015, the World Health Assembly adopted a landmark resolution on air quality and health, recognizing air pollution as a risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as ischaemic cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic obstructive lung disease, asthma and cancer as well as the economic costs they receive.