Abstract
Purpose of Review
Air pollution is established as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Ambient particulate matter (PM), a principal component of air pollutant, has been considered as a main culprit of the adverse effects of air pollution on human health.
Recent Findings
Extensive epidemiological and toxicological studies have demonstrated particulate air pollution is positively associated with the development of CVDs. Short-term PM exposure can trigger acute cardiovascular events while long-term exposure over years augments cardiovascular risk to an even greater extent and can reduce life expectancy by a few years. Inhalation of PM affects heart rate variability, blood pressure, vascular tone, blood coagulability, and the progression of atherosclerosis. The potential molecular mechanisms of PM-caused CVDs include direct toxicity to the cardiovascular system or indirect injury by inducing systemic inflammation and oxidative stress in circulation.
Summary
This review mainly focuses on the acute and chronic effects of ambient PM exposure on the development of cardiovascular diseases and the possible mechanisms for PM-induced increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Additionally, we summarized some appropriate interventions to attenuate PM air pollution-induced cardiovascular adverse effects, which may promote great benefits to public health.
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Abbreviations
- CVDs:
-
Cardiovascular diseases
- PM:
-
Particulate matter
- PM10 :
-
PM with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm
- PM2.5–10 :
-
PM with an aerodynamic diameter 2.5–10 μm
- PM2.5 :
-
PM with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm
- UFPs/PM0.1 :
-
PM with an aerodynamic diameter less than 0.1 μm
- BC:
-
Black carbon
- DEP:
-
Diesel exhaust particles
- HRV:
-
Heart rate variability
- CHF:
-
Congestive heart failure
- CHD:
-
Coronary heart disease
- RRs:
-
Relative risk ratios
- HRs:
-
Hazard ratios
- IL:
-
Interleukin
- TNF-α:
-
Tumor necrosis factor-α
- GM-CSF:
-
Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor
- CRP:
-
C-reactive protein
- ROS:
-
Reactive oxygen species
- t-PA:
-
Tissue plasminogen activator
- PAI-1:
-
Plasminogen activator inhibitor
- FMD:
-
Flow-mediated dilation
- PUFAs:
-
Polyunsaturated fatty acids
- GSTM1:
-
Glutathione S-transferase M1
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This work is supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81573112, 81373030, 81703182). Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
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An, Z., Jin, Y., Li, J. et al. Impact of Particulate Air Pollution on Cardiovascular Health. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 18, 15 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-018-0768-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-018-0768-8