The effect of heavy metals on the cardiovascular system

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26641/1997-9665.2025.4.121-129

Keywords:

heavy metals, cardiovascular system, toxicity.

Abstract

Background. Heavy metals are defined as metallic elements that have a relatively high density compared to water. In recent years, there has been an increase in environmental and global public health concerns related to environmental contamination by these metals. In addition, human exposure has increased dramatically as a result of their increased use in several industrial, agricultural, domestic and technological applications. Their toxicity depends on a number of factors, including dose, route of exposure and chemical form, as well as the age, sex, genetic predisposition and nutritional status of the exposed individuals. Due to their high toxicity, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury are among the priority metals of public health importance. Recent studies have convincingly demonstrated the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and exposure to heavy metals. Objective. To analyze the literature on the effects of heavy metals on the cardiovascular system. Methods. A wide collection and analysis of literary scientific data on the impact of heavy metals on the cardiovascular system was carried out in the scientific and metric databases PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar. Results. Heavy metals are able to affect cellular organelles and components, such as the cell membrane, mitochondria, lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, nuclei and some enzymes involved in metabolism, detoxification and damage repair. Metal ions interact with cellular components, such as DNA and nuclear proteins, causing DNA damage, which can lead to apoptosis. Heavy metals also contribute to the production of reactive oxygen species, which leads to the development of oxidative stress in the body. As a result, inflammation develops, leading to endothelial dysfunction, impaired lipid metabolism, impaired ion homeostasis, etc. Over time, exposure to heavy metals leads to an increased risk of hypertension, arrhythmia and atherosclerosis. Conclusion. Environmental exposure to heavy metals is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. It is important to make efforts to prevent and control environmental pollution by heavy metals in the future. In addition, the development of analytical methods for detecting heavy metals in the environment and assessing the risk of multiple exposure remains a major area of research in this field.

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2025-10-30

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Shamelashvili , K. (2025). The effect of heavy metals on the cardiovascular system. Морфологія / Morphologia / Morfologìâ, 19(4), 121–129. https://doi.org/10.26641/1997-9665.2025.4.121-129

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Vol. 19 No. 4 (2025)

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