Health effects of atmospheric pressure fluctuations: a review of biometeorological research.

Atmospheric pressure (AP) is a meteorological factor that constantly affects all living organisms on Earth, and the effects of AP generally could not be eliminated. The magnitude of AP and its variability depend on the altitude, season, weather conditions, time of day, and the gravitational potential of the Moon and the Sun. AP effect on the body can be both direct mechanical and through modulation of the partial oxygen density. Significant changes in AP can cause serious health problems such as acute mountain sickness, decompression sickness, and barotrauma. However, even slight fluctuations in AP associated with weather changes may demonstrate profound effects on human well-being and, in addition, may trigger the exacerbation of diverse pathologies. In this review, the association between AP changes and the incidence of various diseases, such as arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, migraine, epileptic seizures, sensory disorders, etc. has been analyzed. Apart from that, the presence of circadian and circannual changes in AP provides basis for the involvement of this meteorological factor in the modulation of biological rhythms. In particular, it has been established that sustained decrease in AP during summer is associated with decreased levels of certain metabolic parameters and increased risk of ischemic cardiovascular events.