Cigarette smoking and air pollution exposure and their effects on cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has no socioeconomic, topographical, or sex limitations as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). The significant drivers of CVD are cardio-metabolic, behavioral, environmental, and social risk factors. However, some significant risk factors for CVD (e.g., a pitiable diet, tobacco smoking, and a lack of physical activities), have also been linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Lifestyles and environmental factors are known key variables in cardiovascular disease. The familiarity with smoke goes along with the contact with the environment: air pollution is considered a source of toxins that contribute to the CVD burden. The incidence of myocardial infarction increases in males and females and may lead to fatal coronary artery disease, as confirmed by epidemiological studies. Lipid modification, inflammation, and vasomotor dysfunction are integral components of atherosclerosis development and advancement. These aspects are essential for the identification of atherosclerosis in clinical investigations. This article aims to show the findings on the influence of CVD on the health of individuals and human populations, as well as possible pathology and their involvement in smoking-related cardiovascular diseases. This review also explains lifestyle and environmental factors that are known to contribute to CVD, with indications suggesting an affiliation between cigarette smoking, air pollution, and CVD.

Association of obesity and cardiovascular disease and progress in pharmacotherapy: what is next for obesity?

Obesity has recently emerged as one of the most severe health concerns. Obesity is a key autonomous risk factor for heart failure and contributes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic abnormalities. Obesity is caused by a metabolic imbalance, which occurs when calories burnt are fewer than the number of calories consumed. There are several pathways accountable for the adverse impacts of obesity on the cardiovascular system. Inflammatory cell infiltration develops in the adipose tissue, the pancreas, and other issues similar to the progression of obesity. Inflammation is triggered by immune cells that invade dysfunctional adipose tissue. The atherosclerotic inflammation phase, related to obesity, induces coronary calcification. Obesity is linked to elevated levels of leptin and high blood pressure. Leptin causes systemic vasoconstriction, sodium retention, and increased blood pressure by influencing the synthesis of nitric oxide and activating the sympathetic nervous system. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for CVD and is one of the leading causes of the greater risk of diseases, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, depression, metabolic syndrome, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure in adults and children. When used with dietary improvements, antiobesity drugs improve the probability of experiencing clinically healthy (5%) weight loss. This review aimed to address the consequences of obesity on cardiac structure and function, risk factors, the impact of the obesity paradox, pharmacological treatment strategies for managing and recommended exercise and diet.

Linkages between stress and stress coping strategies among Nepalese during COVID-19 lockdown: A nationwide cross- sectional study.

Aim: With the increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19, the universities and colleges have been shut down posing uncertainty and unpredictability contributing to stress and increased morbidity of mental problems. Students are restricted from regular academic involvement, social interaction and are confined at home to reduce the transmission of the virus which in turn tends to provoke stressors and coping strategies. We aimed to assess the linkage between stress and coping strategies among youth students during COVID-19 lockdown. Subject and methods: Web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 2520 university-level students of Nepal. Standard tools like Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Stress Coping Resources Inventory (SCRI) were used for collecting information. The final data was analyzed with the help of R-studio (version 1.2.5033). Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics (polytomous logistic regression) were computed to find out the linkages between stress and stress coping strategies. Results: The results show that students less than 23 years old, females, and living without parents were found to be more likely to have moderate to high levels of stress. The higher the stress level, the lesser was the possibility of practicing stress coping strategies. Active coping was the most preferred coping strategy while social ease was the least preferred. Conclusions: To conclude, Active coping was the most preferred coping strategy involving active information seeking, readiness to take charge of the disease-related situation along with the realization that such event is a result of chance while social ease was the least preferred strategy which suggests that the students prefer to seek help from their friends or relatives.