By Elizabeth Zach, RCAC staff writer

A new study demonstrates that drinking arsenic contaminated water can lead to future heart problems in young Native Americans. Arsenic, a toxic metal, can be found in contaminated groundwater.

“People drinking water from private wells, which are not regulated, need to be aware that arsenic may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease,” Gernot Pichler, who led the study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, told the New India Express. “Testing those wells is a critical first step to take action and prevent exposure.”

Although other studies indicate that arsenic exposure raises the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, this current study is the first to examine the risk to young American Indians in Oklahoma, Arizona and North and South Dakota.

To read more, go here: https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/arsenic-in-drinking-water-may-change-heart-structure-says-study-5716250/?mc_cid=8228891ecb&mc_eid=ca994af90e