Effects of Extreme Humidity and Heat on Ventricular Arrhythmia Risk in Patients With Cardiac Devices.

Background: Climate change is increasing the frequency of high heat and high humidity days. Whether these conditions can trigger ventricular arrhythmias [ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation, VT/VF] in susceptible persons is unknown.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between warm-season weather conditions and risk of VT/VF in individuals with pacemakers and defibrillators.

SDMPH 10-year Anniversary Conference Modified Delphi Study.

Objectives: The SDMPH 10-year anniversary conference created an opportunity for a researcher to present at a professional association conference to advance their research by seeking consensus of statements using Delphi methodology.

Methods: Conference attendees and SDMPH members who did not attend the conference were identified as Delphi experts. Experts rated their agreement of each statement on a 7- point linear numeric scale.

Environmental public health research at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: A blueprint for exposure science in a connected world.

Exposure science plays an essential role in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.

Climate Change and Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Climate change may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes by causing direct physiologic changes, psychological distress, and disruption of health-related infrastructure. Yet, the association between numerous climate change-related environmental stressors and the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events has not been systematically reviewed.

Objective: To review the current evidence on the association between climate change-related environmental stressors and adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Accelerated aging and altered subclinical response to ozone exposure in young, healthy adults.

Ozone exposure induces a myriad of adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes in humans. Although advanced age and chronic disease are factors that may exacerbate a person's negative response to ozone exposure, there are no molecular biomarkers of susceptibility. Here, we examine whether epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) is associated with responsiveness to short-term ozone exposure.

Fine particulate matter-sudden death association modified by ventricular hypertrophy and inflammation: a case-crossover study.

Background: Sudden death accounts for approximately 10% of deaths among working-age adults and is associated with poor air quality. Objectives: To identify high-risk groups and potential modifiers and mediators of risk, we explored previously established associations between fine particulate matter (PM) and sudden death stratified by potential risk factors.

Methods: Sudden death victims in Wake County, NC, from 1 March 2013 to 28 February 2015 were identified by screening Emergency Medical Systems reports and adjudicated ( = 399).

A Narrative Review on the Impact of Air Pollution on Heart Failure Risk and Exacerbation.

Air pollution is a risk factor for many cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure (HF). Although the links between air pollution and HF have been explored, the results are scattered and difficult to piece together into a cohesive story. Therefore, we undertook a narrative review of all aspects of the relationship between HF and air pollution exposure, including risks of developing HF when exposed to air pollution, the exacerbation of HF symptoms by air pollution exposure, and the increased susceptibility that individuals with HF have for air pollution-related health risks.

Exposures to low-levels of fine particulate matter are associated with acute changes in heart rate variability, cardiac repolarization, and circulating blood lipids in coronary artery disease patients.

Exposure to air pollution is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, disease risk factors, and mortality. Specifically, particulate matter (PM), and to some extent ozone, are contributors to these effects. In addition, exposures to these pollutants may be especially dangerous for susceptible populations.

Associations between short-term exposure to PM and cardiomyocyte injury in myocardial infarction survivors in North Carolina.

Objective: Short-term ambient fine particulate matter (PM) is associated with adverse cardiovascular events including myocardial infarction (MI). However, few studies have examined associations between PM and subclinical cardiomyocyte damage outside of overt cardiovascular events. Here we evaluate the impact of daily PM on cardiac troponin I, a cardiomyocyte specific biomarker of cellular damage.

Development of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Facilities Status Dashboard for the COVID-19 Pandemic: Approach and Challenges.

Develop a tool for applying various COVID-19 re-opening guidelines to the more than 120 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) facilities.

Valuing Diversity and Inclusion in Health Care to Equip the Workforce: Survey Study and Pathway Analysis.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, with all its virus variants, remains a serious situation. Health systems across the United States are trying their best to respond. On average, the health care workforce is relatively homogenous, even though it cares for a highly diverse array of patients.

Short-term PM exposure and early-readmission risk: a retrospective cohort study in North Carolina heart failure patients.

Background: Short-term changes in ambient fine particulate matter (PM) increase the risk for unplanned hospital readmissions. However, this association has not been fully evaluated for high-risk patients or examined to determine if the readmission risk differs based on time since discharge. Here we investigate the relation between ambient PM and 30-day readmission risk in heart failure (HF) patients using daily time windows and examine how this risk varies with respect to time following discharge.

Associations between neighborhood socioeconomic cluster and hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery disease within a cohort of cardiac catheterization patients.

Background: Neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but these associations are rarely studied across large, diverse populations.

Methods: We used Ward's Hierarchical clustering to define eight neighborhood clusters across North Carolina using 11 census-based indicators of SES, race, housing, and urbanicity and assigned 6992 cardiac catheterization patients at Duke University Hospital from 2001 to 2010 to clusters. We examined associations between clusters and coronary artery disease index > 23 (CAD), history of myocardial infarction, hypertension, and diabetes using logistic regression adjusted for age, race, sex, body mass index, region of North Carolina, distance to Duke University Hospital, and smoking status.

Evaluation of PM air pollution sources and cardiovascular health.

Long-term air pollution exposure, notably fine particulate matter, is a global contributor to morbidity and mortality and a known risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarctions (MI). Knowledge of impacts related to source-apportioned PM is limited. New modeling methods allow researchers to estimate source-specific long-term impacts on the prevalence of CAD and MI.

Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution Is Associated With 30-Day Readmissions and Hospital Visits Among Patients With Heart Failure.

Background Long-term air pollution exposure is a significant risk factor for inpatient hospital admissions in the general population. However, we lack information on whether long-term air pollution exposure is a risk factor for hospital readmissions, particularly in individuals with elevated readmission rates. Methods and Results We determined the number of readmissions and total hospital visits (outpatient visits+emergency room visits+inpatient admissions) for 20 920 individuals with heart failure.

Respiratory Impacts of Wildland Fire Smoke: Future Challenges and Policy Opportunities. An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report.

Wildland fires are diminishing air quality on a seasonal and regional basis, raising concerns about respiratory health risks to the public and occupational groups. This American Thoracic Society (ATS) workshop was convened in 2019 to meet the growing health threat of wildland fire smoke. The workshop brought together a multidisciplinary group of 19 experts, including wildland fire managers, public health officials, epidemiologists, toxicologists, and pediatric and adult pulmonologists.

Association between short-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter and myocardial injury in the CATHGEN cohort.

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) has been associated with a higher risk for coronary events. Elevated circulating cardiac troponins (cTn) are suggestive of myocardial injury in both ischemic and non-ischemic conditions. However, little is known about the association between PM and cTn.

Association of short-term exposure to ambient PM with hospital admissions and 30-day readmissions in end-stage renal disease patients: population-based retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: To examine the effect of short-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM) on all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory-related hospital admissions and readmissions among patients receiving outpatient haemodialysis.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Inpatient hospitalisation claims identified from the US Renal Data System in 530 US counties.

Cardiopulmonary Impact of Particulate Air Pollution in High-Risk Populations: JACC State-of-the-Art Review.

Fine particulate air pollution <2.5 μm in diameter (PM) is a major environmental threat to global public health. Multiple national and international medical and governmental organizations have recognized PM as a risk factor for cardiopulmonary diseases.