Indoor Air Quality and Health: Impact on Respiratory and Cardiovascular System

Tsaloglidou A., Koukourikos K., Pantelidou P., Kourkouta L.

Introduction: Various air pollutants are found in several interior environments, sometimes at increased concentrations, and they negatively affect the indoor air quality.  Exposure to these pollutants often contributes to structural degradation and building failures within their indoor environment and can lead to numerous immediate and long-term health problems. Aim: This retrospective study provides a comprehensive review of the new evidence linking indoor air quality with its impact on respiratory and cardiovascular system. It also refers to the principal pollutants found in indoor environments and associated with harmful effects on health. Method: A review of the Greek and international literature on the issue was performed through the electronic databases Pubmed, Google Scholar, Scopus and scientific journals, using the following key words: Indoor Air Quality, Indoor Air Pollution, Cardiovascular disease, Respiratory disease, Risk factors Results: Indoor air pollution increases the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, causes or contributes to the development of acute respiratory infections, lung cancer, and chronic lung diseases such as asthma and it has also been associated with many cardiovascular diseases. Conclusion: The indoor air quality is a significant factor in maintaining good health. Understanding of the harmful effects induced by indoor air pollution will help us to take all the appropriate preventive measures to reduce the possible health risks. Key-words: Indoor Air Quality, Indoor Air Pollution, Cardiovascular Disease, Respiratory Disease, Risk factors.