Environmental Issues and Cardiovascular Disease: An Australian Study

This essay examines the significant impact of environmental issues on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Australia. It identifies air pollution, deforestation, and water contamination as major contributors to CVD, highlighting the effects of pollutants like CO2, lead, and synthetic chemicals on human health. The essay describes the principles and philosophies related to environmental health, emphasizing the toxicological effects of these issues on both the environment and human populations. It discusses how factors such as high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and smoking exacerbate the risk of CVD, leading to increased mortality rates. The essay underscores the importance of government initiatives, public awareness, and individual actions like planting trees to mitigate the adverse effects of environmental degradation on cardiovascular health. It emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to protect the environment and public health, including stricter regulations on pollution and promoting healthier lifestyles to reduce the burden of CVD in Australia.

Running Head: Environmental Issue and CVD
Cardiovascular Disease
Essay
AUGUST 25, 2019

Environmental Issue and CVD 1
Environmental Issues and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
There are many effects of environmental issues on human health. The human health is
directly related with the environment or their natural surroundings. However, one of the major
risks that arises due to environmental issues for human health is cardiovascular disease or CVD.
The heavy air pollution, deforestation in the urban and rural areas, and high rare of emission in
the environment are some of the major environmental causes that cause CVD in people. This is
not only limited to Australian people rather almost half of the world population in almost every
country of the world is suffering with same health issue. The present work explains various
affects of environmental issues on human health and how people are suffering from CVD
because of environmental pollution and high emission of CO2 in the environment.
Cardiovascular (CVD) is most common type of health issue that is responsible for large
number of deaths in all over the world. Cardiovascular disease is related with human heart where
heart of human stops its working and causes death of people. CVD is a group of heart disorder in
which blood vessels not supplied to the heart. Generally cardiovascular disease is known as heart
attack or strokes but there are variety of CVD disease (Anand, Hawkes, De Souza, Mente,
Dehghan, Nugent, & Kromhout, 2015). The common types of CVD are coronary heart disease,
heart attack, heart failure, angina, asthma, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease,
congenital heart disease, pulmonary embolism etc. These are acute events and these diseases are
mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood flow to the heart or to the brain of human-
being. The common symptoms of CVD are chest pain, issue in breathing, pain in left shoulder,
arms, jaw, back or elbows etc. According to a research more than 4.2 million Australian adults
(18.3%) were died from the CVD. Among them 1.2 million of people were died only from heart
attack and strokes (Feigin & Norrving, 2014). Apart from this, more than 2.6 million people are
reported hypertension (high blood pressure) and 430,000 people has faced that they experienced
heart attack at one point of time in their life. It is really threatening for the people who lives in
Australia. CVD is a leading cause of death in the country. According to a research, more than
45,000 (approximately 29%) people died from cardiovascular disease. WHO estimated that air
pollution is responsible for taking more than 7 million premature death globally each year.
However, most of these death numbers can be found in Asian countries like India and China

Environmental Issue and CVD 2
where pollution is on its highest level (Afshin, Penalvo, Del Gobbo, Kashaf, Micha, Morrish, &
Mozaffarian, 2015).
There are large number of factors behind CVD such as diet of people, poor working
schedule, lack of exercise, high cholesterol level, smoking, drinking, and high blood pressure etc.
but the environmental factor especially air pollution is the major cause of CVD in Australia
(Donovan, Michael, Gatziolis, Prestemon, & Whitsel, 2015). In various recent studies about the
CVD epidemiology, it has been found that the effect of environmental issue can majorly affect
the heart functioning of people. The environmental factors are very much responsible for CVD
such as air pollution, tobacco smokes, and noise exposure in the environment directly related
with the human health and with heart functioning. Furthermore, there are also environmental
issues such as high temperature and heavy rainfall that causes polyaromatic hydrocarbons and
meteorological factors (temperature) are some of the major causes of CVD in human health
(Brumby, Chandrasekara, McCoombe, Kremer, & Lewandowski, 2012). However, Australia’s
greatest health issues is related with high temperature and pollution in urban cities. The mortality
rates due to environmental pollution and heavy emission rate is increasing every day in the
country. In 2014, more than 17 million died from CVD in all over the world and there is a direct
relationship with air pollution and heart related issues in Australia. The lead poisoning and air
pollution are the major environmental issue that causes CVD in people (Mendis, 2017). Apart
from this, all rivers and lakes are contaminated with synthetic chemicals and pesticides that
directly polluted the water (Ali & Qazi, 2012). Water pollution is directly affecting the health of
people because it attacks on the lungs of people and affect the heart as well. Chemicals and
pesticides such as lindane, DDT, or chlordane etc. some of the poisonous chemicals that affect
the human health and causes CVD in the people. As people are continuously using chemicals and
pesticides for large growing agriculture products and fulfill the needs of increasing population, it
is noticeable that these pesticides not only affect the water rather it further affects the functioning
of heart when people consume these pesticides product and chemical water (Laslett, Alagona,
Clark, Drozda, Saldivar, Wilson, & Hart, 2012).
CVD is a major health related burden on Australian people and most of its type is
occurring because of air pollution and low oxygen level in the environment. The deforestation
and excessive use of vehicles in urban areas two major issues that affect the environment in the

Environmental Issue and CVD 3
Australia (Modesti, Bianchi, Borghi, Cameli, Capasso, Ceriello, & Novo, 2014). Apart from this,
the poor cooperation of people to the natural environment also causes some serious threat for the
human health. However, Asthma which is a major issue in Australian youngsters and old age
people generally causes from heavy polluted areas. Asthma unable the people to take fresh
breath or facing issues when taking oxygen from the air. The unavailability of oxygen in the air
causes many serious heart related issues for the Australian people who lives in polluted areas.
High level of water and air pollution are the major causes of CVD disease and it takes many lives
every year not only in Australia, rather all over the world. The surrounding environment of
people are full of many pollutant and dangerous gases that directly affect the lungs, heart, and
other part of the body as well (Melvin, orbie-Smith, Kumanyika, Pratt, Nelson, Walker, &
Economos, 2013).
The two major CVD heart disease that causes many deaths in Australia are coronary heart
disease and heart attack or angina. People who lives in urban areas are mostly facing such type of
health issues because of poor air conditions and their poor dieting and lack of exercise in life
(Stanley & Laugharne, 2012). Blood generally carries oxygen from the heart to every part of the
body. However, when the pollution level rises the amount of oxygen in the blood will be
decreases and it directly affect the functioning of whole body. The second issue is heart failure in
the human body. It is really a life-threatening disease for the people. It occurs when heart fail to
maintain a strong enough blood flow to meet the body needs. This situation generally arises
when the temperature in the area grew up and affect the human body (Mendis, 2017).
Nature is directly related with the life and physical health of human being. Environmental
exposure, over which the humans have very less control or no control can have direct role in
causing CVD issue in people. According to the WHO, pollution is a major single issue that is
responsible for 80% of serious health issues in human being. WHO and various researches
informs people in their gadgets that how environmental pollution and excessive destruction of
natural resource can cause various health related issues in people. CVD among them is one of the
serious problems that is causing mass number of deaths in Australia. Pollutants like CO2,
arsenic, cadmium, and lead some of the dangerous pollutant that make the air poisonous for
people and affect the health of human being. These pollutants are also the major causes of CVD
in people (Stanley & Laugharne, 2012). These elements also mediate the development and

Environmental Issue and CVD 4
progression of CVD n people. The pollutants affect the breathing process in human body and
increase the cardiovascular risks including changes in blood pressure. The air pollution not only
affects the heart functioning of people rather it also affects the blood pressure level in the body
which is a major cause of heart attack, atherosclerosis, lipids, and vascular function. However, it
is really important for the people to know the importance of environmental factors and how they
can contribute the secure the naturals resources like forest and water. These two factors are
directly related with the human health and their life, but human carelessness can cause a heavy
penalty for the entire nation (Yuan, Zhai, & Dornfeld, 2012).
Another issue that is related with non0environemntal issue, but it affects the environment
that further causes many heart related issues in people in the country. This issue is related to
increasing rate of smoking in Australia. Most of the youngsters are usually addicted to smoking
products like cigarette. The two types of environmental related issues are related with such type
of issue (Zhao, Zhang, & Fan, 2014). The first one is related with the general environment where
tobacco smoke can affect the air and the person who stay near the smoker. It directly affects the
breathing process in people and affect the health. While the second issue is related with social-
norms. The Australian government needs to make strict laws and regulations related to smoking
that not only affect the health of people rather it also affects the atmosphere of those people who
lives around the smoking person. However, it is really a big challenge for the government to
control such type of habits in people and stope them to use tobacco products that not only affect
their health rather also affect the health of other people as well. The later one is one of the
serious problems that not only directly affect the health of people rather it also affects the
environment and atmosphere near the people who are not usually smoking (Münzel, Schmidt,
Steven, Herzog, Daiber, & Sørensen, 2018). The Australian government is working on spreading
awareness among the people to care about their health and protect the natural resources to breath
fresh air. There are many policy interventions were introduced by the government to reduce the
impact of environmental factors on the human body. Although, the increasing population and
increasing use of vehicles may waste the efforts of government to reduce the effect of
environmental issues on the health of people in the country (Yuan, Zhai & Dornfeld, 2012).
For may people, CVD in people arises because of poor dieting and lack of physical
activities. This is really true, but one cannot ignore the environment in which people live which

Environmental Issue and CVD 5
is major responsible factor behind CVD. To avoid such type of dangerous disease people should
try to live in a fresh and greenery environment where they can easily breath fresh air (Stanley &
Laugharne, 2012). Apart from this, the dependency of people on the natural resource such as on
trees and water should be minimized and people should focus on planting trees that can provide
fresh air to the people. Without oxygen the life of people cannot even imagine by the people.
People needs to protect the environment and should try to reduce their dependency on trees and
other natural resources. The Australian government already started many initiatives for the
people to protect the natural environment and ensure a better and healthy future which will be
free from disease like CVD. The Australian government also provide funding for such initiative
and urges people to care about their health and try to plant more trees, so they can take fresh air
in the environment (Villard, Lelah, & Brissaud, 2015).
In conclusion, the above studies and analysis found that CVD is an environmental issue
that causes large number of premature deaths in Australia and in all over the world as well. CVD
is a global issue that is relayed with many environmental issues such as high level of air
pollution, water contamination and pollution, lack of oxygen in the air because of deforestation,
and increasing rate of greenhouse gases that increase the temperature on the earth. These are
some serious causes that affect the health of people and are responsible for dangerous disease
like CVD. However, the government need to approach people for planting trees and reduce their
dependency on the natural resource and avoid the destruction of these resources. This initiative
and support of the local community is they key factor in removing CVD issues and make people
healthy to live long life.

Environmental Issue and CVD 6
References
Afshin, A., Penalvo, J., Del Gobbo, L., Kashaf, M., Micha, R., Morrish, K., & Mozaffarian, D.
(2015). CVD prevention through policy: a review of mass media, food/menu labeling,
taxation/subsidies, built environment, school procurement, worksite wellness, and
marketing standards to improve diet. Current cardiology reports, 17(11), 98.
Ali, M., & Qazi, I. A. (2012). Effect of substrate temperature on hot-filament CVD grown
diamond films at constant filament current. International Journal of Surface Science and
Engineering, 6(3), 214-230.
Anand, S. S., Hawkes, C., De Souza, R. J., Mente, A., Dehghan, M., Nugent, R., & Kromhout,
D. (2015). Food consumption and its impact on cardiovascular disease: importance of
solutions focused on the globalized food system: a report from the workshop convened
by the World Heart Federation. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 66(14),
1590-1614.
Brumby, S., Chandrasekara, A., McCoombe, S., Kremer, P., & Lewandowski, P. (2012).
Cardiovascular risk factors and psychological distress in Australian farming
communities. Australian journal of rural health, 20(3), 131-137.
Donovan, G. H., Michael, Y. L., Gatziolis, D., Prestemon, J. P., & Whitsel, E. A. (2015). Is tree
loss associated with cardiovascular-disease risk in the Women's Health Initiative? A
natural experiment. Health & place, 36, 1-7.
Feigin, V. L., & Norrving, B. (2014). A new paradigm for primary prevention strategy in people
with elevated risk of stroke. International Journal of Stroke, 9(5), 624-626.
Laslett, L. J., Alagona, P., Clark, B. A., Drozda, J. P., Saldivar, F., Wilson, S. R., & Hart, M.
(2012). The worldwide environment of cardiovascular disease: prevalence, diagnosis,
therapy, and policy issues: a report from the American College of Cardiology. Journal of
the American College of Cardiology, 60(25 Supplement), S1-S49.

Environmental Issue and CVD 7
Melvin, C. L., Corbie-Smith, G., Kumanyika, S. K., Pratt, C. A., Nelson, C., Walker, E. R., &
Economos, C. D. (2013). Developing a research agenda for cardiovascular disease
prevention in high-risk rural communities. American journal of public health, 103(6),
1011-1021.
Mendis, S. (2017). Global progress in prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular
diagnosis and therapy, 7(Suppl 1), S32.
Modesti, P. A., Bianchi, S., Borghi, C., Cameli, M., Capasso, G., Ceriello, A., & Novo, S.
(2014). Cardiovascular health in migrants: current status and issues for prevention. A
collaborative multidisciplinary task force report. Journal of Cardiovascular
Medicine, 15(9), 683-692.
Münzel, T., Schmidt, F. P., Steven, S., Herzog, J., Daiber, A., & Sørensen, M. (2018).
Environmental noise and the cardiovascular system. Journal of the American College of
Cardiology, 71(6), 688-697.
Stanley, S. H., & Laugharne, J. D. (2012). Obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in
people with a mental illness: a need for primary health care. Australian Journal of
Primary Health, 18(3), 258-264.
Villard, A., Lelah, A., & Brissaud, D. (2015). Drawing a chip environmental profile:
environmental indicators for the semiconductor industry. Journal of Cleaner
Production, 86, 98-109.
Yuan, C., Zhai, Q., & Dornfeld, D. (2012). A three-dimensional system approach for
environmentally sustainable manufacturing. CIRP annals, 61(1), 39-42.
Zhao, X., Zhang, S., & Fan, C. (2014). Environmental externality and inequality in China:
Current Status and future choices. Environmental pollution, 190, 176-179.