Klima und Herz

Was ist neu?

Auswirkung von nicht optimalen Temperaturen auf unsere Gesundheit

Eine nicht optimale Temperatur (NOT) hat Vasodilatation zur Folge und damit ein erhöhtes Risiko für kardiale Notfälle. Bei chronisch kranken Herzpatienten führt dies vermehrt zu Ischämie und Herzinfarkt – vor allem bei älteren Menschen sind hitzedingte kardiovaskuläre Ereignisse die häufigste Todesursache. Außerdem kann Hitze die Wirkung von kardiovaskulären Medikamenten erheblich beeinflussen, indem sie ihre Aufnahme, Verteilung und Ausscheidung verändert und die therapeutische Wirkung beeinflusst.

Hitze-Aktionspläne

Die WHO empfiehlt, Hitze-Gesundheitsaktionspläne (HHAP) zu entwickeln, um hitzebedingte Gesundheitsrisiken zu verhindern. Die WHO nennt 8 Schlüsselelemente für eine effektive Umsetzung: Festlegung einer leitenden Stelle, Warnsysteme, Gesundheitsinformationen zu Hitze, Reduzierung der Hitzebelastung in Innenräumen, besondere Fürsorge für gefährdete Gruppen, Vorbereitung des Gesundheits- und Sozialsystems, langfristige Stadtplanung sowie Echtzeit-Überwachung und Evaluierung.

Anpassungsplanung und Resilienz

Gesundheitssysteme spielen eine zentrale Rolle bei der Klima-Anpassung, indem sie Gesundheitsrisiken, Notfallreaktionen und die Versorgung gefährdeter Bevölkerungsgruppen adressieren. Die WHO-Rahmenwerke für klimaresiliente Gesundheitssysteme betonen die Wichtigkeit einer nachhaltigen Finanzierung, Führung und Personalausstattung sowie des Zugangs zu Gesundheitsdiensten, einer Gemeinschaftsbeteiligung und der Reduzierung von CO₂-Emissionen. Der Aufbau resilienter Systeme ist entscheidend, um eine kontinuierliche Versorgung sicherzustellen.

Abstract

Climate change is the greatest existential threat to planetary and human health, driven by shifts in the Earth’s weather and atmospheric conditions due to human activities. It causes extreme temperatures, increased droughts, wildfires, dust storms, coastal flooding, storm surges, hurricanes, and various compounded events. The impacts of climate change on health are complex and include pathways that contribute to non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular disease. A collaborative effort among medical professionals, researchers, public health officials, and policymakers is crucial to mitigate the effects of global warming. This review provides an overview of how climate change affects cardiovascular health through direct exposures like temperature changes, air pollution, wildfires, dust storms, and extreme weather conditions. We also identify vulnerable populations and suggest mitigation strategies.

Schlüsselwörter

Klima - Erderwärmung - Hitzestress - Herz - Hitzeaktionsplan - Resilienz

Keywords

climate - global warming - heat stress - heart - planning heat–health action - resilience

Publication History

Article published online:
07 August 2025

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