Extreme heat, air pollution, and heart attack risk: who is most vulnerable
Extreme Heat and Acute Myocardial Infarction: Effect Modifications by Sex, Medical History, and Air Pollution
This project looks at whether very hot weather, humidity, temperature swings, and air pollution make heart attacks more likely for younger and older adults and whether sex, medical history, socioeconomic status, or common heart medications change that risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11138632 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We will combine detailed medical record and interview information from two large U.S. groups of people who experienced heart attacks—one focused on younger adults (VIRGO) and one on older adults (SILVER-AMI)—and link each event to high-resolution local temperature, humidity, ozone, and particle pollution data around the time of the heart attack. Researchers will compare exposures in the days before heart attacks to other time periods to see if extreme heat, heat-humidity measures, temperature variability, or ozone/PM2.5 were higher before events. The team will examine whether risk differs by sex, socioeconomic status, pre-existing conditions, or use of medications like ACE inhibitors. Statistical methods will account for individual characteristics and co-exposures to identify groups who are especially vulnerable.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have had an acute myocardial infarction—especially younger adults (about 18–55 years) and older adults (about 75 years and older)—and who are part of or eligible for the VIRGO or SILVER-AMI cohorts would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without a history of heart attack or those under 18 are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk during heat waves and poor air quality so they receive targeted warnings, medication review, or preventive care.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies show heat and fine particles can trigger heart attacks, but combining detailed patient-level data with high-resolution heat, humidity, ozone, and medication information across young and very old patients is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Kai — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Chen, Kai
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.