Exposure to toxic metals may increase risk of clogged arteries

Date:
December 9, 2021
Source:
American Heart Association
Summary:
Toxic metals in the environment may increase the risk of
atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries that can
prevent blood and oxygen from reaching major organs. Arsenic and
cadmium, metals that can be found in food, water and tobacco,
plus titanium, which can come from dental and orthopedic implants,
cosmetics or auto manufacturing, were associated with a higher
likelihood of having clogged arteries in the neck, leg and heart
in this study of auto assembly workers in Spain. Current global
environmental, occupational and food safety standards may be
insufficient to protect people from the adverse effects of metals,
according to study authors.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Environmental exposure to low-levels of the toxic metals arsenic, cadmium
and titanium appears to increase the risk of plaque buildup in arteries
in the neck, heart and legs, according to new research published today
in the American Heart Association's journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis
and Vascular Biology (ATVB).


========================================================================== Traces of metal may enter the body through contaminated soil that
infiltrates food, through drinking water, air pollutants or tobacco
smoke. There is strong evidence that toxic metals, such as arsenic and
cadmium, are cardiovascular risk factors. Arsenic and cadmium are often
found in tobacco and food, while arsenic is also found in water. Titanium exposure is mainly derived from dental and orthopedic implants, screws, pacemaker encasings, cosmetic products and some foods.

"Metals are ubiquitous in the environment, and people are chronically
exposed to low levels of metal," said lead investigator of the study
Maria Grau-Perez, M.Sc., of the Institute for Biomedical Research Hospital Clinic de Valencia INCLIVA in Valencia, Spain, and a Ph.D. candidate in
the department of preventive medicine, public health and microbiology at
the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, in Spain. "According to the World
Health Organization, 31% of the cardiovascular disease burden in the
world could be avoided if we could eliminate environmental pollutants." Atherosclerosis develops when fatty deposits, or plaque, builds up in
the arteries causing them to narrow, weaken and stiffen. Depending on
the arteries affected, it can lead to a heart attack, stroke, angina, peripheral artery disease or kidney disease.

Prior research on the impact of metal exposure on atherosclerosis has traditionally centered on the carotid arteries, the major arteries in
the neck.

This study focused on subclinical atherosclerosis -- before symptoms
are present -- and examined the impact of metal exposure on the carotid, femoral and coronary arteries. Previous research suggests that imaging
of the femoral artery, which is the main artery supplying blood to the
lower body, may lead to earlier detection of atherosclerosis.

Researchers evaluated 1,873 adults (97% men) in the Aragon Workers Health Study. The study participants worked at an auto assembly factory in
Spain and ranged in age from 40 to 55. Researchers measured participants' environmental exposure to nine toxic metals -- arsenic, barium, uranium, cadmium, chromium, antimony, titanium, vanadium and tungsten -- and the exposure's association with the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in
the carotid, femoral and coronary artery regions. The study explored the potential role of individual metals and metal mixtures on the development
of atherosclerosis.

During the participants' annual occupational health visits between 2011
and 2014, socioeconomic and health information for each participant
were recorded, including education level, smoking status and medication
use. Each person in the study had a medical examination to measure body
mass index, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and more. Urine samples were collected to assess
metal exposure from air, water and food.

Researchers performed carotid and femoral ultrasounds, as well as coronary calcium scoring tests.

The analysis found:
* Older study participants had higher levels of most of the metals
measured
in the urine
* The few female participants in the study had higher metal levels
compared
to men, when levels were measured in the urine.

* Adults who had smoked at any time showed higher levels of arsenic,
cadmium, chromium and titanium than the people who had never smoked.

* Higher levels of arsenic, cadmium, titanium, and potentially
antimony
were associated with a higher probability of having subclinical
atherosclerosis.

* Arsenic and cadmium appear to be most closely associated with
increased
plaque levels in the carotid arteries; cadmium and titanium are of
greater concern for the femoral arteries; and titanium, and possibly
cadmium and antimony, are of more concern for the coronary arteries.

* Arsenic may be more toxic for the arteries when found in combination
with
cadmium and titanium.

"This study supports that exposure to toxic metals in the environment,
even at low-levels of exposure, is toxic for cardiovascular health," said
study co- author Maria Tellez-Plaza, M.D., Ph.D., a senior scientist at
the National Center for Epidemiology and the Instituto de Salud Carlos
III in Madrid, Spain.

"The levels of metals in our study population were generally lower
compared to other published studies. Metals, and in particular
arsenic, cadmium, and titanium, likely are relevant risk factors for atherosclerosis, even at the lowest exposure levels and among middle-aged working individuals." The study included a very specific population of
mostly men in one area of Spain, so the results may not be completely extrapolated to women or other populations world-wide. Additional research
is needed to understand the mechanisms involved in the development of atherosclerosis based on associations to metals.

"Current global environmental, occupational and food safety
standards for cadmium, arsenic and other metals may be
insufficient to protect the population from metal-related
adverse health effects," said Tellez-Plaza. "Metal exposure
prevention and mitigation has the potential to substantially
improve the way we prevent and treat cardiovascular disease." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Heart_Association. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Maria Grau-Perez, Maria J. Caballero-Mateos, Arce Domingo-Relloso,
Ana
Navas-Acien, Jose L. Gomez-Ariza, Tamara Garcia-Barrera, Montse
Leon- Latre, Zoraida Soriano-Gil, Estibaliz Jarauta, Ana Cenarro,
Belen Moreno- Franco, Martin Laclaustra, Fernando Civeira,
Jose A. Casasnovas, Eliseo Guallar, Maria Tellez-Plaza. Toxic
Metals and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Carotid, Femoral,
and Coronary Vascular Territories: The Aragon Workers Health
Study. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2021;
DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.121.316358 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211209082606.htm

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