People with high levels of a common insecticide in their system are three times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those with low or no exposure, a study suggests.

Pyrethroid insecticides make up the greatest share of commercial household insecticides. Researchers looked at levels of pyrethroids in urine samples of more than 2,000 adults ages 20 and older who took part in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey over a span of three years.

The investigators found that over an average of 14 years, people who had the highest levels of pyrethroids in their urine were 56 percent more likely to die for any reason by 2015 than those with the lowest levels of pyrethroids, and heart disease was the leading cause of death.

Home use of pyrethroids in gardens and for pest-control is also a major source of exposure. The chemical is also found in dust in homes that use these pesticides.