Background: Chronic exposure to heavy metals may cause the increase in blood pressure (BP). The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between chronic exposure to lead, cadmium and manganese, BP values and the incidence of arterial hypertension (AT).
Material and methods: The study group consisted of 171 men occupationally and chronically exposed to heavy metals (group I), and 19 healthy men included into the control group (group II). Concentrations of lead and cadmium in blood, manganese in serum, free protoporphyrins in erytrocytes, and delta aminolevulinic acid in urine as well as blood pressure were measured. Six subgroups of the exposed individuals were chosen: those exposed to lead (subgroup A), to cadmium--(subgroup B), to manganese (subgroup C), to lead and cadmium (subgroup D), to lead and manganese (subgroup E), and to cadmium and manganese (subgroup F).
Results: In group I, the values of systolic blood pressure and mean blood pressure were statistically significantly higher than in group II. Moreover, systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in subgroups A, B, D and E in comparison with group II. Diastolic pressure was significantly lower in group II than in subgroups A and D, and mean blood pressure was significantly higher in subgroups A, D and E in comparison with group II. The incidence of arterial hypertension was significantly higher in subgroups A and D than in group II. The independent risk factors for the incidence of arterial hypertension in the study group were higher blood concentrations of lead and, cadmium.
Conclusions: In men occupationally exposed to heavy metals there is a tendency to higher levels of BP. Higher blood concentrations of lead and cadmium were found to be the independent risk factors for the incidence of arterial hypertension in subjects chronically exposed to heavy metals.