Hispanic/Latinx Adults are at Higher Risk for Developing Heart Abnormalities Due to High Exposure towards Occupational Pollution, Study Suggests

Dec, 2020 - By SMI

According to a new research study, researchers have suggested that Latino and Hispanic adults who are more exposed to workplace pollution such as vehicle exhaust, smoke from burning wood, pesticides and various other factors at workplaces are more prone towards developing heart abnormalities, which could further result in cardiovascular diseases.

According to previous researches, researchers have suggested that exposure to environmental pollutants is associated with various heart conditions such as heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death.

Jean Claude Uwamungu, M.D., study co-lead author, stated, “Prior studies have focused on the effects of exposures where people live and in those studies, people with Hispanic or Latinx backgrounds have been underrepresented. We looked specifically at a population of Hispanic/Latinx adults to assess the relationship between exposures at work and their heart health.”

In this research study, researchers involved 782 working adults of average age 52.9, who were a part of Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCSL/SOL). These participants were instructed to fill up the questionnaires that were evaluated by researchers to report incidence of exposures and conducted ultrasound to examine the hearts of the participants. Moreover, participants stated about their exposures to workplace pollutants, however exposure to vehicle exhaust at work place was highly reported pollutant compared to others.

Later researchers observed that work-related exposure to burning wood or wood smoke was linked with reduced ability of the left ventricle (3.1% lower) of the heart to pump blood. Moreover, exposure to vehicle exhaust was linked with decreased right ventricular systolic function and a decreased left ventricular longitudinal strain, indicating abridged pumping ability of the heart.

Researchers also reported that people with occupational exposure to burning wood, vehicle exhaust, pesticides and metals for an average of 18 years were at higher risk to develop abnormality in heart structure and function.