Hispanic/Latino people who are exposed to workplace toxins from burning wood, vehicle exhaust, pesticides, or metals are more likely to have abnormalities of the heart structure and function that could lead to cardiovascular disease, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study was funded in part by the NHLBI.
Researchers have known for some time that environmental toxin exposure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Studies have linked pollution exposure to stroke, heart attack, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and sudden cardiac death. People with Hispanic/Latino backgrounds have been underrepresented in these studies, the researchers say.
To find out more about the occupational exposure risk in this group, researchers used questionnaires completed by participants to report frequency of exposures in combination with ultrasound to examine the hearts of 782 working adults who were part of the Echocardiographic Study of Latinos (ECHO-SOL), which involves participants from the NHLBI’s Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCSL/SOL). The researchers found that people exposed to burning wood, vehicle exhaust, pesticides and metals who had worked in their jobs for many years (average of 18 years) were more likely to have features of abnormal heart function and structure. Policies and interventions to protect the environment and safeguard workers’ health could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in this group, especially among low income occupations that have higher exposure to these harmful pollutants, they say.