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Metal Exposure Tied to Atherosclerosis Progression

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Sep 24, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Sept. 24, 2024 -- Metal exposure from environmental pollution is associated with the progression of atherosclerosis, according to a study published online Sept. 18 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Katlyn E. McGraw, Ph.D., from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, and colleagues examined whether exposure to metals from environmental pollution is related to atherosclerosis progression. The analysis included data from 6,418 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

The researchers found that for the highest to lowest quartile of urinary cadmium, coronary artery calcium (CAC) levels were 51 percent higher at baseline and 75 percent higher during the 10-year period. Corresponding CAC levels during the 10-year period were 45 percent higher for urinary tungsten, 39 percent higher for uranium, and 47 percent higher for cobalt, with no difference for models with and without adjustment for clinical factors. When adjusting for clinical factors, the corresponding estimates dropped for copper and zinc from 55 to 33 percent and from 85 to 57 percent, respectively. The associations of metals with CAC were similar in magnitude to classical cardiovascular disease risk factors.

"Our findings highlight the importance of considering metal exposure as a significant risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease," McGraw said in a statement. "This could lead to new prevention and treatment strategies that target metal exposure."

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted September 2024

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