Arsenic Exposure and Cardiovascular Disorders: An Overview

Abstract

The incidence of arsenic toxicity has been observed in various countries including Taiwan, Bangladesh, India, Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, Hungary, Peru, Thailand, Mexico and United States of America. Arsenic is a ubiquitous element present in drinking water, and its exposure is associated with various cardiovascular disorders. Arsenic exposure plays a key role in the pathogenesis of vascular endothelial dysfunction as it inactivates endothelial nitric oxide synthase, leading to reduction in the generation and bioavailability of nitric oxide. In addition, the chronic arsenic exposure induces high oxidative stress, which may affect the structure and function of cardiovascular system. Further, the arsenic exposure has been noted to induce atherosclerosis by increasing the platelet aggregation and reducing fibrinolysis. Moreover, arsenic exposure may cause arrhythmia by increasing the QT interval and accelerating the cellular calcium overload. The chronic exposure to arsenic upregulates the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule and vascular endothelial growth factor to induce cardiovascular pathogenesis. The present review critically discussed the detrimental role of arsenic in the cardiovascular system.

Cardiovascular effects of arsenic: clinical and epidemiological findings

“…These include N-acetylcysteine (Bao and Shi 2010a), alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin C and E, taurine, quercetin (Ghosh et al 2011), some plant extracts including garlic (Balakumar and Kaur 2009;Biswas et al 2010;Flora 2011), and resveratrol (Zhao et al 2008b;Zhang et al 2012b). …”

Arsenic Metabolites and Methylation Capacity Among Individuals Living in a Rural Area with Endemic Arseniasis in Inner Mongolia, China

“…Even moderately elevated concentrations of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in drinking water pose a serious public health problem [2]. Previous epidemiological studies of individuals exposed to high arsenic levels in drinking water suggest that chronic arsenic exposure via drinking water is widely associated with a higher risk of skin lesions, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer of the skin, lungs, bladder, liver, and possibly kidneys [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Therefore, the World Health Organization guideline for arsenic in drinking water is 10 μg/L [13].…”

Levels of Lead and Arsenic in Groundwater and Blood of Residents of Agulu, Nigeria

“…Also, arsenic poisoning is associated with heart disease, stroke, and cancer, among others [20]. Several cases of myocardial infarction and arterial thickening in children who consumed water containing about 0.6 mg/l arsenic [21]. Low-level arsenic exposure by humans may also cause vascular system damage, a classic example of which is Blackfoot disease, which was endemic in an area of Taiwan where most drinking water contains 0.17 to 0.8 ppm arsenic [22].…”