Do cardiovascular medications mitigate the adverse effects of air pollution on increasing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality?
Description: Exposure to ambient air pollution, even at very low levels, is known to worsen the long-term outcomes of people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Recent research shows that common cardiovascular (CV) medications with anti-inflammatory and vascular-regulating properties are very effective in modifying pathological responses induced by air pollution. In light of growing evidence on CV medications in relation to air pollution, an American Heart Association scientific panel called for exploring research on medical management as a potential strategy to reduce the harmful effects of air pollution on CV patients. To date, however, no study has examined the potential role of CV medications in modifying pollution-related morbidity and mortality. To remedy this research gap, we propose to conduct a study to investigate which routinely-used medications modify the impact of air pollution on CV morbidity and mortality. We also aim to assess to what extent these impacts differ by dosing/potency, duration, indication of use, and adherence. Our study population will include the entire elderly Ontario residents (~3 million). We will use state-of-the-art methods (e.g., satellite-based remote sensing) to derive estimates of air pollution exposures. We will examine the potential impacts of five common classes of CV medications. This will be the first study to perform these evaluations. By being driven by research needs of healthcare providers, our study will have direct, measurable impact and can lead to immediate interventions. Patients and clinicians will be able to use our findings to develop proactive actions to reduce risks. Policy makers can likewise gain insights into whether the continuous decline in air pollution and the increasing use of CV medications in Canada together yield more health benefits than either alone - key information needed in setting public health policies. Ultimately, this may translate to improved outcomes in CVD patients in Canada.
Amount: CA$100,000
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: Project Grant
Start date: 2016-07-01
End date: 2017-06-30
Investigator: Hong Chen
Institution: Public Health Ontario (Toronto)
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Funded outputs count: 2
Funder award ID: 149037_1
OpenAlex ID: G966074282