Both heatwaves and coldwaves are linked to an increase in serious heart and brain-related events, and the risk becomes even higher when air pollution is present.
Concerning results on the adverse impact of climate change and pollution on cardiovascular risk were presented last week at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2026, the annual congress of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC), a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
The results come from the EP-PARTICLES study, which analysed health data from more than eight million people living in Eastern Poland between 2011 and 2020.
Researchers looked at hospitalisations and deaths, focusing on major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events such as heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths.
Climate change is driving extreme weather events, yet temperate climates remain understudied.
Professor Lukasz Kuzma from the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland
“Poland is now seeing unprecedented heatwaves alongside existing coldwaves. We assessed the acute health impacts of these temperature extremes as part of the Polish Smog EP-PARTICLES cohort study,” explained Professor Lukasz Kuzma from the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
During the study period, more than 573,000 major cardiovascular events and over 377,000 cardiovascular deaths were recorded. The researchers found that heatwaves had an immediate effect: on the same day, heart-related events increased by 7.5%, while cardiovascular deaths rose by 9.5%.
Coldwaves, on the other hand, showed a delayed but longer-lasting impact. The risk of major cardiovascular events increased gradually over several days, rising by up to 5.9%, while the risk of cardiovascular death increased by up to 6.9%.
Air pollution made the situation worse. A second analysis from the same study, presented by Doctor Anna Kurasz from the Medical University of Bialystok, Poland, focused specifically on air pollution.
It found that around 13% of cardiovascular deaths could be linked to polluted air, accounting for more than 71,000 years of life lost over a decade. Certain pollutants, including ozone (O₃), fine particles (PM2.5) and benzo[a]pyrene, further increased the risk during both heatwaves and coldwaves.
Monthly air pollution exposure increases were associated with up to a 10% rise in major cardiovascular events and these effects were ~5% higher in women than men and ~9% higher in individuals aged younger than 65 years compared with older than 65 years.
“Even though air pollution is recognised as a major cardiovascular risk factor, it is still underappreciated,” stated Doctor Kurasz. “These results challenge the traditional risk factor paradigm about which groups of individuals are most susceptible. Our findings clearly support the need for coordinated public health policies aimed at reducing air pollution and also for further investigations into who is most affected and the mechanisms responsible.”
27.04.2026.
