Chronic exposure to chemicals is associated with increased risk of heart disease. Toxicological Sciences

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, PFAMs, are "permanent chemicals" that do not degrade in nature. They may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women during menopause. This is evidenced by the research published in the journal Toxicological Sciences. PFAM is used for the production of non-burning coated dishes, waterproof textiles and other items. Some types of these substances can persist in the environment for hundreds or thousands of years. In a new study, scientists studied biomaterial samples from 70 (postmenopausal) women in Turkey. They used machine learning to find links between different PFAMs and heart disease. Coronary heart disease (the most common heart disease) was more common in women with higher levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). High levels of another substance, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), have been linked to the risk of damage to the microvessels of the heart. Scientists have found that both substances can cause inflammation of the vessels, a risk factor for atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes. The mechanisms of operation of PFOT and PFOST were different. This underscores the need to look at substances individually, not as a group, when studying the health effects of PFAMs. Previous studies have shown that nearly all Americans have PFAMs in their bodies, including in their blood. The authors of the new work assumed that menstrual bleeding can allow women to get rid of some of the PFAM in the body. This proves that when menstruation stops, the woman is deprived of this means of "purification". Therefore, they studied the data of women after menopause. Scientists noted that it is impossible to purposefully remove PFAM from the body. Instead, they advised women to give preference to PFAM-free subjects.