One in five cardiovascular deaths in the EU could be prevented by improving the environment, according to a new European Environment Agency (EEA) report.
Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in the EU, according to the European Society of Cardiology.
In 2022, more than 1.7 million people died from it, making up one-third of all deaths within the bloc that year.
It also contributes significantly to disability, early retirement, and absenteeism, which lowers quality of life and reduces life expectancy.
In addition to the human cost, cardiovascular diseases cost the EU over €282 billion annually due to decreased productivity and economic output, according to the European Commission.
Besides personal characteristics such as age and family history, environmental factors also play a key role in cardiovascular disease.
In the EU, factors such as air pollution, extreme temperatures, and chemicals are estimated to cause at least 18% of all cardiovascular disease deaths.
Poland (23.69%) and Bulgaria (23.98%) are the EU countries with the highest shares of cardiovascular disease deaths linked to environmental risks.
By contrast, Finland and Sweden registered the lowest share at 9.72% and 10.01%, respectively.
Air pollution causes around 8% of cardiovascular deaths in the EU per year, according to the European Heart Network.
Fine particulate — which comes from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial processes and burning fossil fuels — nitrogen dioxide and ozone are the three key pollutants linked to cardiovascular disease in Europe.
In 2022, Poland (82.32%) and Ireland (81.83%) were the member states with the highest rates of premature deaths due to exposure to fine particulate matter in the bloc.
On the other hand, Finland and Estonia registered the lowest shares, with 5.48% and 11.21%, respectively.
Long-term exposure to these pollutants contributes significantly to premature mortality and chronic cardiovascular conditions, including heart attacks, strokes and heart failure.
It is also estimated that around 66,000 premature deaths annually in the EU are attributable to transport noise exposure, with more than 30% due to cardiovascular causes.
EU policies and regulations, which aim to tackle air pollution, are working, however. It has decreased across the EU, resulting in fewer attributable premature deaths.
Nevertheless, 95% of EU residents, particularly those in urban areas, are still exposed to unsafe pollution levels.