People exposed to high levels of a common household chemical may face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new research by the West Virginia University School of Public Health.
The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found a higher rate of heart and peripheral arterial disease among people exposed to the manmade chemical, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), which is widely used in the manufacture of products such as lubricants, polishes, paper, textile coatings, and food packaging.
PFOA is detectable in the blood of more than 98 percent of Americans and past studies have suggested it may boost cardiovascular disease.
For the latest study, Dr. Anoop Shankar and colleagues examined the association between blood levels of PFOA and the presence of cardiovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease, a marker of atherosclerosis, in 1,216 individuals. They found those with higher PFOA levels were more likely to have the two conditions, regardless of age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking status, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol levels.
"Our results contribute to the emerging data on health effects of PFCs [perfluoroalkyl chemicals], suggesting for the first time that PFOA exposure is potentially related to CVD and PAD,” the researchers said.
"Cardiovascular disease [CVD] is a major public health problem. Identifying novel risk factors for CVD, including widely prevalent environmental exposures, is therefore important.”
The study was funded, in part, by the American Heart Association and grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.