2022/12/29 by Erin R. Kulick, Joel D. Kaufman, Coralynn Sack · 5 citations
Environmental Science · #Air Quality and Health Impacts #Climate Change and Health Impacts #Air Quality Monitoring and Forecasting
paper · pdf · doi:10.1161/strokeaha.122.035498
Despite recent advances in treatment and prevention, stroke remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. There is a critical need to identify novel modifiable risk factors for disease, including environmental agents. A body of evidence has accumulated suggesting that elevated levels of ambient air pollutants may not only trigger cerebrovascular events in susceptible people (short-term exposures) but also increase the risk of future events (long-term average exposures). This review assesses the updated evidence for both short and long-term exposure to ambient air pollution as a risk factor for stroke incidence and outcomes. It discusses the potential pathophysiologic mechanisms and makes recommendations to mitigate exposure on a personal and community level. The evidence indicates that reduction in air pollutant concentrations represent a significant population-level opportunity to reduce risk of cerebrovascular disease.