Climate change and cardiovascular risk factors management: emerging challenges and strategies for prevention and adaptation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Climate change represents an escalating global health crisis that profoundly influences the risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Human-driven alterations in climate-including rising ambient temperatures, more frequent and severe heatwaves, air pollution, and extreme weather events-directly and indirectly exacerbate hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, and physical inactivity. Exposure to high temperatures and pollution promotes vascular dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress, leading to worsened blood pressure control, dysglycaemia, and disrupted lipid metabolism. Extreme weather events, floods, and wildfires trigger acute spikes in cardiovascular events through dehydration, myocardial ischaemia, and arrhythmias, while also disrupting healthcare delivery and medication adherence. Moreover, climate-driven changes in food systems and nutritional quality exacerbate unhealthy dietary behaviours, further amplifying cardiometabolic risk. Vulnerable populations-including older adults, racial and ethnic minorities, and those of lower socioeconomic status-bear a disproportionate burden of these effects. Mitigating the cardiovascular consequences of climate change requires integrated approaches that incorporate climate-sensitive risk stratification, targeted education of patients and clinicians, and adaptive health system responses. Primary care physicians play a central role in delivering anticipatory guidance and equitable care to at-risk individuals. This review synthesizes evidence linking climate change with CVD risk profiles. It outlines clinical and public health strategies to strengthen climate resilience in cardiovascular medicine.
Authors: Maria Marketou, Norma Caples, Mark Abela, Paul Dendale, Özden Gökdemir, Oleksii Korzh, Donata Kurpas, Ming-Nan Lin, Anna Vittoria Mattioli, Trine Moholdt, Thomas Muenzel, Stefano Palermi, Panteleimon E Papakonstantinou, Massimo Piepoli, Dimitris Richter, Eduard Shantsila, Susanna Sciomer, Ilonca Vaartjes, Marco Vecchiato, Elio Venturini, Ana Abreu, Alessandro Biffi
Institutions: University of Crete, University Hospital Waterford, University of Malta, Mater Dei Hospital, Jessa Hospital, Hartcentrum Hasselt, Hasselt University, İzmir University of Economics, Kharkiv National Medical University, Wroclaw Medical University, University of Bologna, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Athens Euroclinic, University of Liverpool, Sapienza University of Rome, Utrecht University, University Medical Center Utrecht, University of Padua, Università degli Studi eCampus, Hospital de Santa Maria
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7155995652