Exposure to Inorganic Arsenic in Drinking Water Increases Cardiovascular Risk
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 23, 2024 -- Long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic in drinking water (wAs) from U.S. community water supplies (CWS) at levels below the federal maximum contaminant level of 10 µg/L is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, including ischemic heart disease, according to a study published online Oct. 23 in Environmental Health Perspectives.
Danielle N. Medgyesi, from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues examined the relationship between long-term wAs exposure from CWS and cardiovascular disease using statewide health care administrative records from women in the California Teachers Study. Participants' residential addresses were linked to CWS boundaries and annual wAs concentrations for 1990 to 2020. Exposure was calculated as a 10-year moving average up to participant event, death, or end of follow-up.
The analysis included 98,250 participants, with 6,119 ischemic heart disease cases and 9,936 cardiovascular disease cases. The researchers found that for ischemic heart disease, the hazard ratios (95 percent confidence intervals) at concentration thresholds were 1.06 (1.00 to 1.12), 1.05 (0.94 to 1.17), 1.20 (1.02 to 1.41), and 1.42 (1.10 to 1.84) for 1.00 to 2.99, 3.00 to 4.99, 5.00 to 9.99, and ≥10 µg/L, respectively, compared with <1 µg/L. For every doubling of wAs exposure, the hazard ratios (95 percent confidence intervals) were 1.04 (1.02 to 1.06) and 1.02 (1.01 to 1.04) for ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular disease, respectively. The risk was stronger for those aged 55 years and younger versus those older than 55 years at enrollment.
"This study is one of the first to comprehensively describe risks at exposure levels below the current regulatory limit," the authors write. "Our results are novel and encourage a renewed discussion of current policy and regulatory standards."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2024
Read this next
Urinary Incontinence Linked to CVD Risk Factors, Comorbid Conditions
FRIDAY, May 2, 2025 -- Urinary incontinence is not associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) classification, but is associated with cardiovascular disease...
Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Partly Mediate Association Between Prepregnancy Obesity, CVD Risk
MONDAY, April 21, 2025 -- Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) mediate a small proportion of the association between prepregnancy obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in...
Handheld Electro-Shockers Pose Risk for Interaction With Implantable Cardiac Devices
WEDNESDAY, April 9, 2025 -- When applied to cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), commercially available handheld electro-shockers pose a relevant risk for interaction...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.