Lead Exposure May Harm Heart

Edit Subject

Long-term exposure to lead may increase the risk of death from heart and artery disease, a study shows. The study included 868 male veterans. Their average age was 67 when the study began. Researchers measured lead in their knee and shin bones. During the 9-year study, 241 men died. Men with the most lead in their bones were six times more likely to die from heart attack, stroke and related conditions than those with the lowest amount of lead. Their risk of death from any case was 2.5 times as high as for men with low lead levels. Current U.S. standards for excess lead exposure are based on lead in blood. But lead remains much longer in bones -- perhaps as long as decades. Researchers said current standards probably need to change. The study appeared in the journal Circulation on September 8.

What Is the Doctor's Reaction?

We've known for a long time that lead is not good for you. It can cause anemia, kidney damage and seizures, among other problems. It's especially bad for young children because it can damage the developing brain. That's why lead paint was banned and gasoline is now unleaded.

Lead exposure has decreased dramatically as the result of these and other protective measures. But a new study suggests that lead exposure may still be causing trouble. And it may be affecting our health in ways no one suspected.

Researchers studied lead exposure among 868 men. They used a type of X-ray to measure lead in bones of the lower leg. This technique may be better than blood tests for lead because lead is stored in bone for many years. It lasts only a few weeks in the blood.

Here's what the researchers found:

* Death caused by heart and artery disease was nearly 6 times more common among men with the highest levels of lead in their bones than among men with the lowest levels.
* Death rates for any cause were more than twice as high among men with the most lead exposure.
* The source of the men's lead exposure was uncertain. Most did not have a job, hobby or other factor that put them at increased risk.

These findings have me wondering whether current lead exposure is still too high. And the new link between heart disease and lead exposure raises questions:

* Where is the lead exposure coming from?
* Can we lower the risk of heart and artery disease by further reducing lead in the environment?
* How does the age of lead exposure affect the risk of heart ant artery disease? The subjects in this new research had an average age of 67 when the study began. The risk of lead exposure could be different for adults who are younger or older.
* How does lead increase the risk of heart disease and early death?
* Is lead having similar effects in women or non-white ethnic groups? This study included only men and most of them were white.

What Changes Can I Make Now?

Until we have more information, this new study's results will remain worrisome. In the meantime, can make changes to reduce your exposure to lead.

Be particularly vigilant about protecting yourself if you have a job or hobby that increases your risk of lead exposure. These include:

* Recycling or manufacturing metals, ammunition or batteries
* Smelting and mining
* Automobile and radiator repair
* Welding and soldering
* Producing certain plastics or ceramics
* Demolishing or remodeling old houses or buildings

If you're in one of these high risk groups, or if you believe you may have some other source of lead exposure, ask your doctor for a screening blood test. (Testing of bone for lead is not routine now, though it could be in the future.)

Children should also be protected from lead. The most common exposure for kids is lead paint. Insist on the removal of any lead-containing paint before you and your kids move into a new home or apartment.

It's not proven, but this new study suggests that limiting your exposure to lead could reduce your risk of developing heart and artery disease. But you also can take other, more reliable steps. For example:

* Don't smoke.
* Exercise regularly.
* Get your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked. If one or more of these is not in an ideal range, talk to your doctor. Diet, exercise and medicines may help.
* Choose a healthy diet. Eat less trans fat and saturated fat. Reduce your total calorie intake to avoid excess weight.

What Can I Expect Looking to the Future?

You can expect to hear about research in the future that answers questions raised by this new study. If research confirms that lead exposure increases the risk of heart and artery disease, you can expect to hear about new efforts to reduce exposure. It's also possible that testing for lead will become a routine part of heart disease screening. This might include blood or bone testing. Finally, it's possible that researchers will develop new and better treatments to remove lead from the body, especially if lead exposure is confirmed to promote heart and artery disease.

New public health measures could go further in the future to reduce lead in the environment. Lead exposure already is much lower than it used to be. But it may not be low enough.