EP349: Climate and Environment with Dr Fiona Foo Part 2

Doctor Warrick Bishop - Heart Health

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients.

Fiona Foo, a cardiologist, discusses the impact of traffic-related air pollution and climate change on cardiovascular health. Traffic emissions are a significant cause of death and cardiovascular disease, with idling vehicles being a particular problem. Extreme heat and heat waves also have serious cardiovascular consequences, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly, those with underlying conditions, and outdoor workers. Climate change is worsening mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which in turn negatively impact cardiovascular health. Addressing these environmental factors is crucial for improving public health and sustainability.

Takeaways:

• Traffic-related air pollution is a significant cause of death and cardiovascular disease hospitalization in Australia, contributing to over 11,000 deaths and 12,000 hospitalizations.
• Idling cars, especially in front of schools, is a major contributor to air pollution exposure for children and should be discouraged through initiatives like "Idle Off" campaigns.
• Active transport like walking, cycling, and public transit can reduce emissions and incidental exercise from public transit use has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease.
• Diesel vehicles and larger trucks/SUVs tend to be more polluting than smaller gasoline vehicles, emitting more harmful ultrafine particles.
• Extreme heat and heatwaves are a major driver of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in Australia, causing more deaths than any other natural disaster.
• Vulnerable populations at high risk during heatwaves include the elderly, those with underlying chronic conditions, pregnant women, outdoor workers, and athletes/sports participants.
• Hydration, electrolyte balance, and cooling measures are critical for athletes and spectators during outdoor sporting events in hot conditions.
• Climate change-driven extreme weather events and heat can worsen mental health, leading to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• The combination of air pollution and mental health impacts from climate change can have synergistic negative effects on cardiovascular health.
• Overall, the health impacts of climate change, including air pollution and extreme weather, are a major and growing public health crisis that requires urgent action.

Australia, like the rest of the western world, has a heart problem.

Over 9 million people around the world die from heart disease every year.

Every 10 minutes, someone in Australia suffers a heart attack. And 21 lives are lost daily because of it.

The devastating fact in all of this is…

Almost every one of those cases could have been prevented.

This podcast is for anyone who wants to improve their health literacy and gain information to help them make the best decisions about their risk of heart attack, their cholesterol, blood pressure, risk of diabetes, weight loss and general health. Join me on my personal mission journey to prevent Heart Attack on a global scale. If you like this podcast, I would be honoured by a 5-star review and appreciate if you let your friends and family know about this podcast; you may even save the life of someone you love!

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Heart disease is the #1 killer in the Western World. In Australia, someone dies every 28 minutes from heart disease. That’s 51 people a day. In the US, someone has a heart attack every 40 SECONDS! Fortunately, many heart attacks are preventable. However, regular exercise and eating healthy are no guarantee you won’t succumb to this silent killer.

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Do the free heart check today at www.virtualheartcheck.com.au

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Visit https://healthyheartnetwork.com/ and click on the JOIN THE FAMILY BUTTON