Air pollution in the modern world, including fine particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5), is largely derived from anthropogenic sources of fossil fuel combustion (e.g. coal, oil, and traffic). While well-established to cause pulmonary diseases and cancer, the largest adverse public health effects of PM2.5 are due to excess cardiovascular events. Short-term exposures over hours to days increase the risk of myocardial infarctions, strokes, arrhythmias, and heart failure exacerbations among susceptible individuals. Longer-term exposures due to living in more polluted environments for years synergistically increase these risks throughout the entire population. Mounting evidence supports that PM2.5 can even potentiate chronic cardiometabolic conditions such as atherosclerosis progression and promote the development of hypertension and diabetes. This chapter briefly reviews the epidemiological linkages between air pollutants and cardiometabolic diseases.
Aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovaascular events: what are the evidances?