Siberian scientists have proven the connection between warming in the Arctic and an increase in hypertension

Researchers from Tomsk State University, together with colleagues, studied how climate affects the development of arterial hypertension in the Arctic zone – using the example of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Tyumen Region. It turned out that the increase in incidence is associated with an increase in average annual temperature.

As RIA Tomsk writes, scientists analyzed data for 10 years, from 2010 to 2020, and compared them with temperature indicators. It turned out that in the Russian sector of the Arctic, the average annual temperature is growing by about 0.81 degrees per decade – this is much faster than the average for the Northern Hemisphere (0.32 degrees) and even more so for the world (0.16 degrees).

According to Andrey Lobanov, leading researcher at the TSU laboratory, rising temperatures and heat waves are becoming an additional burden on the body of people in the Arctic. At the same time, adaptation mechanisms work worst in the elderly – over 65 years of age. In the next five years, according to forecasts, the dynamics of the primary incidence of hypertension in the region will increase, which may reduce the working capacity of the population and increase mortality.

Researchers believe the World Health Organization is underestimating climate risk. Climate is only one of the reasons, but it increases the stress on the cardiovascular system and requires rapid response measures.

Main photo: KSC SB RAS

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