[Atmospheric pollution and cardiovascular damage]

Abstract

The damaging effect of atmospheric pollution with particulate matter and toxic gases on the respiratory system and its effect in the incidence and severity of respiratory diseases, is well known. A similar effect on the cardiovascular system is currently under investigation. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the inhalation of particulate matter can increase cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality, specially ischemic heart disease. The damage would be mediated by alterations in the autonomic nervous system, inflammation, infections and free radicals. In human studies, environmental pollution is associated with alterations in cardiac frequency variability and blood pressure and with changes in ventricular repolarization. Experimentally, an enhancement of ischemia, due to coronary obstruction, has been demonstrated. The study of the toxic effects of environmental pollution over the cardiovascular system, is an open field, specially in Chile, were the big cities have serious contamination problems.