Air, Noise, and Light Pollution and Thromboembolic Cardiovascular Complications: A TH Scientific Statement

Thromboembolic cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including acute coronary syndromes, ischemic stroke, and venous thromboembolism, remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite significant improvements in prevention and diagnosis, thromboembolic CVD remains a major global health challenge, reflecting the incomplete control of multifactorial vascular risk. Growing evidence indicates that air, noise, and light pollution are important yet underrecognized contributors to cardiovascular morbidity. Exposure to particulate matter (PM_2.5, PM₁₀), gaseous pollutants (NO₂, SO₂, CO, O₃), chronic noise, and artificial light at night promotes endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, and platelet activation—key mechanisms fostering a prothrombotic setting. Although regulatory progress has been achieved, air pollution remains the most significant environmental determinant of cardiovascular health globally, and the combined effects of coexisting pollutants are not fully understood. The convergence of urbanization, industrialization, and increasing light exposure further amplifies environmental impacts on vascular health. This scientific statement aims to synthesize current epidemiological and mechanistic evidence, highlight the complex interactions among air, noise, and light pollution, identify critical research gaps, and provide a comprehensive conceptual framework for understanding how environmental stress contributes to thromboembolic cardiovascular complications. Strengthening multidisciplinary research, integrating exposome-based data, and implementing effective prevention policies are essential steps toward mitigating the cardiovascular burden of environmental pollution.