Environmental Factors in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular Diseases

Environmental conditions and processes are one of the major pillars on which the human well-being rests. It is the core responsibility of the society to preserve and enhance better conditions for the human well-being. Indeed, there are several evolving unmet needs in public health. Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and a surge in the incidence of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (CAD), chronic respiratory diseases, and metabolic diseases have been impediments to sustainable well-being.

Many factors are critical in the global surge in the rate and incidence of cardiovascular diseases. These include the shift from acute to chronic conditions, the shift from single risk factor vs. multiple influences, aging population, global health disparities, exposure to lower harmful influences over a longer period, etc. However, the epigenetic factors due to unhealthy environment play a most significant role in the underlying pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, this has been ignored for a long time and realized lately to expand and disseminate knowledge to general population, expand research activities to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms, and develop better preventive and treatment strategies.

The most significant environmental impoverishment in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases include different genetical, chemical, physical, and biological influences, but not limited to, socio-economic status and lack of nutrients, nutritional aspects including habits, diets and additives, inhaled and ingested pollutants, exhaust gas and gasoline products, tobacco smoke, water pollution, alcohol consumption, soil and mineral pollution, solvents, pesticides, microplastics, non-critical usage of drugs, climate change, extreme atmospheric conditions, extremes in noise and temperature, electromagnetic influences, microwaves and radiation, outdoor light pollution, mental stressors, lack of or over exercise, microbiota and microbiological agents like SARS CoV-2 virus, etc.