Arq Bras Cardiol: Imagem cardiovasc. 2024; 37(4): e20240117
Climate Change and Cardiovascular Imaging: Challenges and Opportunities
DOI: 10.36660/abcimg.20240117i
Climate change directly and indirectly affects human health. The increasing incidence and intensity of extreme weather events are directly associated with adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular events, as well as increased demand and expenditure on health systems globally. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and people with pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, face increased risks due to temperature variations and poor air quality. Moreover, high temperatures also limit outdoor exercise, with potential long-term detrimental effects on cardiovascular health. In a country like Brazil, where economic disparities often expose low-income populations to higher levels of pollution and less access to health care, the impacts of climate change on cardiovascular health are a matter of growing concern among medical and scientific communities.
On the other hand, the healthcare sector is responsible for almost 5% of the planet’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with a significant contribution coming from general imaging and cardiovascular diagnostic tests. We thus face a double challenge: to improve cardiovascular health outcomes for the population while reducing the environmental footprint of our tests. Although advances in cardiovascular imaging technologies have undoubtedly improved our diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes, these benefits have come at considerable financial and environmental costs.
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Keywords: Cardiovascular Diseases; Climate Change; Echocardiography
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