Toxic metals and cardiovascular risk Exposure to small amounts of which substance is associated with high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease in humans?

Introduction / Context:
Chronic exposure to certain heavy metals can elevate cardiovascular risk by inducing oxidative stress, renal dysfunction, and endocrine disruption. Recognizing the key culprits is essential for occupational and environmental health.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Low-level, chronic exposure scenario.
• Outcome: hypertension and heart disease.
• Common environmental/industrial toxicants considered: cadmium, mercury, asbestos, hydrogen sulfide.

Concept / Approach:
Cadmium is well documented to cause nephrotoxicity and to be associated with hypertension. Cadmium accumulates in kidneys and blood vessels, promoting sodium retention and vascular dysfunction, which elevates blood pressure and contributes to cardiovascular disease. Mercury is neurotoxic and can affect the cardiovascular system but is less consistently tied to hypertension at low chronic doses compared with cadmium. Asbestos is a fibrous silicate linked to pulmonary disease and cancers, not hypertension. Hydrogen sulfide is an acute toxic gas primarily affecting respiration and the nervous system.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify which agent has the strongest epidemiologic link to hypertension.Cadmium exposure correlates with higher BP and cardiovascular events in population studies.Select cadmium as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Occupational medicine references highlight cadmium-induced renal injury with secondary hypertension; public health advisories flag cadmium in tobacco smoke and certain industrial emissions.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Mercury: cardiovascular effects possible, but neurotoxicity is primary; association with BP is less definitive in low-level exposure.
• Asbestos: causes asbestosis and mesothelioma; not linked to hypertension.
• Hydrogen sulfide: acute asphyxiant, not a chronic cardiovascular toxin at small doses.

Common Pitfalls:

• Assuming any toxic metal equally raises BP; mechanisms and dose–response differ.

Final Answer:
Cadmium