The potential benefits to cardiovascular health from reduction of air pollution. Krakow example

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Based on Global Burden of Diseases estimates, in 2019 the air pollution accounted for nearly 6.75 million deaths and 213 million years of healthy life lost. Numerous studies indicate that ambient particulate matter (PM) is strongly associated with increased cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the potential benefits from reduction of PM2.5 and PM10 to the mortality and hospital admissions due to cardiovascular events in Krakow, one of the most polluted cities in Europe. METHODS: The Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program was used to estimate changes in cardiovascular health due to changes in the ambient concentration of particulate matter (both PM2.5 and PM10) in Krakow, based on data for 2016. The baseline level of pollutants was based on data from air pollution monitoring system operated by Provincial Environmental Protection Inspectorate. The demographic structure as well as the number of deaths were gathered from Statistics Poland, and number of emergency hospital admissions due to cardiovascular causes (ICD-10 codes: I00–I99) was obtained from National Health Found. RESULTS:Average daily air pollution levels in Krakow ranged from 2 to 235 μg/m³ for PM2.5 and from 8 to 299 μg/m³ for PM10, and it exceeded the daily limit values recommended by European Union Air Quality Directive on about 30% of days for PM2.5 and 20% for PM10. The reduction of PM2.5 to the limit value results decrease of more than 3% in cardiovascular hospitalizations and 5% in cardiovascular mortality. The reduction of PM10 level to 40 μg/m³ is associated with over 4% and more than 7% decrease in cardiovascular hospitalizations and mortality, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:Decrease of ambient particulate matter to the limit recommended by Air Quality Directive can provide considerable reduction of cardiovascular events that were attributable to air pollution. KEYWORDS: Air pollution, particulate matter, cardiovascular disease