PM 2.5 and Cardiovascular Diseases in the Elderly: An Overview

Chenchen Wang, Yifan Tu, Zongliang Yu and Rongzhu Lu
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Chenchen Wang: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Yifan Tu: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Zongliang Yu: Department of Cardiology, The First People's Hospital of Kunshan Affiliated to Jiangsu University, 91 Qianjin West Road, Kunshan 215132, China
Rongzhu Lu: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, 301 Xuefu Road, Zhenjiang 212013, China

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: Background : Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the elderly and the ambient concentration of PM 2.5 has been associated with several cardiovascular diseases. Methods : We describe the present state of planetary air pollution, analyze epidemiological studies linking PM 2.5 and CVD, and discuss multiple pathophysiological mechanisms linking PM 2.5 and CVD. Results : A few epidemiological studies show that the elderly appear specifically susceptible to adverse cardiovascular effects triggered by PM 2.5 exposure. Plausible pathophysiological mechanisms include inflammatory dysfunction, oxidative stress, abnormal activation of the hemostatic system and disturbance of the autonomic nervous system. Conclusions : An in-depth knowledge of the chemical compounds, pathophysiological mechanisms, and epidemiological studies of PM 2.5 are recommended to understand this important and modifiable factor contributing to geriatric CVD burden. We offer public health recommendations to reduce this preventable cause of disease and death.

Keywords: PM 2.5; Cardiovascular disease (CVD); the elderly; susceptibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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