Environmental Exposures and Pediatric Cardiology

In this discussion based on an AHA Scientific Statement with the same title, Pediatric Epidemiologist Andrew Agbaje, from the University of Eastern Finland, and Pediatric Cardiologist Justin Zachariah, from the University of Texas Children's Hospital, delve into the relationship between environmental exposures and children's health, specifically focusing on congenital heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and Kawasaki disease. They explore studies linking extreme heat events and pollution with congenital heart disease and explain how climate change could exacerbate these health risks, the rise in pediatric obesity and its connection to increased hypertension, and the complex impacts of endocrine disrupting chemicals found in everyday products on metabolic disorders and genetic compositions. Shedding light on the urgent need for more research, clinical trials, and preventive approaches, this discussion underscores the impact of environmental factors in pediatric health.