Extreme heat and cold are associated with cardiovascular harm in African studies
Studies connected temperature extremes with stroke and other cardiovascular outcomes, but the abstract leaves the strength and comparability of these associations uncertain.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review links both hot and cold temperature extremes with worse cardiovascular outcomes in African populations, including stroke. It also reports greater vulnerability among women, older adults and rural residents. These findings describe associations across the reviewed evidence; the abstract does not establish that temperature itself caused the outcomes or quantify a reliable continent-wide effect.
The abstract does not report the number of included studies, their designs or confidence intervals. Reference temperatures and exposure-to-outcome time windows are also unclear, limiting interpretation of the reported risks.
Outcomes differed across temperature exposures
Cold exposure and sudden temperature drops were linked with stroke-related outcomes, while high temperatures were associated with heart failure and stroke. The abstract does not provide the study-level comparisons needed to interpret those links consistently.
Group patterns need context
The review highlights differences between population groups, including higher vulnerability among older adults and women. Without details on participants, settings and analyses, those patterns cannot tell us the level of risk for an individual reader.
The original publication
A systematic review assessing the association between extreme temperature exposure and cardiovascular health outcomes in Africa.
Sello MG, Mabhida SE, Esterhuizen B et al.
Environ Res · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40935107
- Record checked
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