Chemical exposures at work and cardiovascular morbidity. Atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias.

Relatively little systematic research has been directed towards the potential effects, either etiologic or aggravating, of industrial chemicals on cardiovascular diseases. While some evidence indicates that exposure to certain pesticides might affect lipoprotein metabolism in man, there is no consistent documentation to support the view that atherosclerosis is caused in man by chemical exposures in industry. In this respect results from some animal studies are highly interesting, eg, exposure to some carcinogens, but the hypotheses presented have not yet been vigorously tested in man. Exposure to carbon monoxide is detrimental to the myocardium, especially in patients with ischemic heart disease, but there are no reliable data on elevated cardiac mortality due to carbon monoxide exposure in industrial populations. A few studies have reported arrhythmias or sudden deaths among workers exposed to solvents and organic nitrates. The effects of lead and cadmium upon human blood pressure have remained controversial, although the bulk of controlled epidemiologic studies suggests that they, if at all existent, are not strong.