Blood lead levels generally considered safe may be associated with an increased risk of death from many causes, including cardiovascular disease and stroke, according to a report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers studied lead levels below 10 micrograms per deciliter (g/dL) which previously has been considered safe.
The levels studied are common and considerably lower than lead levels perceived by the government as a concern to public health, said Paul Muntner, Ph.D., author of the study and an associate professor of epidemiology and medicine at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.
"Our study found the association of blood lead with cardiovascular death to be evident at levels as low as 2 g/dL," he said. "Since 38 percent of U.S. adults had lead levels above 2 g/dL in 19992002, the public health implications of these findings are substantial."
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines high blood lead in adults as higher than 40 g/dL. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that women of child-bearing age have blood lead levels below 10 g/dL.
Researchers said the study questions the current belief about what lead levels are safe in the population.
"We wanted to know whether there was an association between the current blood lead levels among U.S. adults and coronary heart disease, stroke or cancer," Muntner said.
Since the mid-1970s, when lead was no longer added to gasoline or household paint and lead was banned for use in soldering food cans, average blood lead levels in American adults have decreased from 13.1 g/dL to 1.6 g/dL.
"Even though lead levels are much lower than before, the current levels are still orders of magnitude higher than pre-industrial levels," Muntner said.
Today lead is mostly used to make batteries. It is also used to make ammunition (bullets), pipes and roofing materials.
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Contact: Karen Astle
karen.astle@heart.org
214-706-1396
American Heart Association
18-Sep-2006