Cardiovascular effects of indoor air pollutants

In the last decades, research on the causes of cardiovascular disease has made greatprogress. Multiple pharmaceutical and surgical approaches have been devised toprevent, treat, or otherwise manage heart disease, yet it remains the leading cause ofdeath both in Europe and United States. There are important gaps in theunderstanding the leading causes of cardiovascular disease and the underlingpathological mechanisms. Prevention is likely to provide the most effective gainsagainst highly unpredictable events, such as acute myocardial infarction, stroke orarrhythmia, so it is essential to identify the preventable and the modifiable causes ofheart disease. Lifestyle choices such as smoking, diet, and exercise are viewed as themost important factors, but in the past years many studies has focused on thecontribution of air pollutants in the onset and/or exacerbation of cardiovasculardisease.