Cardiovascular Disease
Sensitive Population Indicator
Measures heart attack emergency department visits—a marker of cardiovascular vulnerability heightened by exposure to air pollution.
What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease refers to conditions that involve blocked or narrowed blood vessels supplying the heart. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death both in California and the United States. A heart attack is the most common outcome of cardiovascular disease. Many people survive a heart attack and return to normal life, but their quality of life may be reduced and they are more prone to future cardiovascular events.
There are many risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease, including diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and exposure to air pollution.
Why is it included in CalEnviroScreen?
- People with preexisting heart disease or a previous heart attack may respond differently to the effects of pollution than people without heart disease.
- Short-term exposure to outdoor air pollution following a heart attack has been shown to increase the risk of death. Long-term exposure to air pollution may also result in premature death for people with a previous heart attack.
- The effects of air pollution on cardiovascular disease may also be greater in the elderly and people with other preexisting health conditions.
How is it measured?
- The indicator is the number of heart attack emergency department visits per 10,000 people for the years 2021–2023.
- The California Department of Health Care Access and Information collects information on emergency department visits and hospitalizations related to heart attacks (acute myocardial infarction) in California.
- Emergency department visits for heart attacks are currently the best available way of describing differences in cardiovascular disease across the state at the census tract level.
