Water, Soil, Noise, and Light Pollution: JACC Focus Seminar, Part 2.

Various forms of pollution carry a substantial burden with respect to increasing the risk of causing and exacerbating noncommunicable diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. The first part of this 2-part series on pollution and cardiovascular disease provided an overview of the impact of global warming and air pollution. This second paper provides an overview of the impact of water, soil, noise, and light pollution on the cardiovascular system. This review discusses the biological mechanisms underlying these effects and potential environmental biometrics of exposure. What is clear from both these pollution papers is that significant efforts and redoubled urgency are needed to reduce the sources of pollution in our environment, to incorporate environmental risk factors into medical education, to provide resources for research, and, ultimately, to protect those who are particularly vulnerable and susceptible. [Display omitted] • Increasing evidence suggests that water, soil, noise, and light pollution increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. • The mechanisms linking these sources of pollution to cardiovascular disease are diverse, making mitigation efforts challenging, but evolving methods to track these sources of pollution may point to new strategies. • Collectively, these data underscore the urgent need to address pollution in all its forms at a global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]