British Study Shows Asbestos Workers at a ... - Mesothelioma.com

Pat Guth contributes news and insightful content for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. Bio ?

April 04, 2012

Derbyshire, England - A study published this week in England?s Occupational and Environmental Medicine journal points out that asbestos workers not only have a much higher risk of developing severe lung diseases but also of succumbing to cardiovascular issues including heart disease and stroke.

According to an article in The Mail, this latest study analyzed the cause of death among 100,000 asbestos workers who took part in regular voluntary health screenings and answered questions about levels of workplace exposure. The study spanned more than 30 years ? from 1971 to 2005. Specifically, researchers compared the number of deaths from heart attacks and strokes among these workers to the number that would be expected to occur in the general population.

During that time period, 15,557 of the participating individuals passed away. Data showed that about 1,000 died from stroke while approximately 4,000 died from heart disease. Percentage wise, male asbestos workers were 63 percent more likely to die of a stroke and 39 percent more likely to die of heart disease. The figures for women were 100 percent and 89 percent, respectively.

Study authors note that there was also some evidence that the greater the length of exposure to asbestos, the greater the likelihood of dying of heart disease. Smoking was taken into account when analyzing the data.

The study puts focus on yet another reason for a worldwide ban on asbestos. It has been clear for decades that exposure to the toxic mineral caused diseases such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other forms of cancer. The United Kingdom, where the study was completed, has one of the worst rates of mesothelioma on the planet, trumped only by Australia.

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