Page 7 - JCTR-11-5

Journal of Clinical and

Translational Research

EDITORIAL
Impact of climate change on clinical medicine

Jacek Z. Kubiak *
1,2
1 Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes, UMR, CNRS, Faculty of Medicine, University of
Rennes, Rennes, France
2 Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine-National
Research Institute (WIM-PIB), Szaserow, Warszawa, Poland

1. Introduction
Climate change poses profound and multifaceted health challenges that are reshaping all
aspects of our lives, including clinical practice. This unprecedented global crisis extends
far beyond environmental degradation, fundamentally altering the landscape of human
health, disease patterns, and healthcare delivery systems worldwide. This editorial seeks
to outline these emerging health threats and evaluate our current level of preparedness
to address them.
2. Direct heat-related illness

Extreme heatwaves are increasing in frequency, duration, and intensity. This can cause
heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and exacerbate cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.
Vulnerable populations include the elderly, outdoor workers, and individuals without
access to air conditioning. The rising global temperatures are directly affecting human
physiology and survival. Extreme heat events strain the body’s thermoregulatory
mechanisms, leading to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and multi-organ failure in
severe cases. The 2024 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change documented
record-breaking temperatures, with 2023 reaching 1.45°C above the pre-industrial
*Corresponding author: baseline, presenting unprecedented health threats from climate inaction. Clinicians
1
Jacek Z. Kubiak
(jacek.kubiak@univ-rennes.fr) are confronted with more emergency presentations during heat events. Therefore,
the healthcare systems face surges in emergency department visits during heatwaves,
Citation: Kubiak JZ. Impact of
climate change on clinical medicine. requiring new protocols for triage, treatment, and prevention. This phenomenon is
J Clin Transl Res. 2025;11(5):1-3. already widely recognized, both within the clinical community and beyond it.
doi: 10.36922/JCTR025420072
Received: October 13, 2025 3. Shifting disease patterns
Published online: October 27, Climate change is dramatically altering the geographic distribution and seasonality of
2025 infectious diseases. Vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, Zika virus, and
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). Lyme disease are expanding into previously unaffected regions as warming temperatures
This is an open-access article allow disease-carrying mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors to survive and reproduce
distributed under the terms of the in new areas. This geographic shift means that clinicians must now consider tropical
2,3
Creative Commons AttributionNon-
Commercial 4.0 International (CC diseases in their differential diagnoses even in temperate regions, a shift in practice that
BY-NC 4.0), which permits all requires enhanced surveillance systems, diagnostic capabilities, and treatment protocols.
non-commercial use, distribution, Waterborne diseases are also increasing due to flooding events and compromised water
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is infrastructure, while changing precipitation patterns affect the prevalence of diseases
properly cited. such as cholera and leptospirosis.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with 4. Air quality and respiratory disease
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional Increased wildfires, longer pollen seasons, and higher ground-level ozone concentrations
affiliations. worsen asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and allergies.

Volume 11 Issue 5 (2025) 1 doi: 10.36922/JCTR025420072