Lead exposure remains a public health crisis. If anything, Flint, Michigan taught us that. Action needs to be taken to decrease exposures that could have life-long complications — for young and old alike.

Everyone Should Be Screened for Lead

Lead exposure may be associated with hard-to-control hypertension.

Diagnosis Life summary:
Many people have a hard time controlling their blood pressure, even if they are on multiple medications (3 or more). Lead may be to blame. Even if you were exposed as a child and have normal blood levels as an adult, lead can be stored in the bones for decades. The problem is that few people are screened for this as adults. A study of nearly 500 veterans in the Journal of the American Heart Association (https://doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.118.010014) found a man’s risk of drug-resistant high blood pressure went up 19% for each 15 μg/g increase in lead levels in the shin bone. Not only could bone lead screening help identify the cause of uncontrolled hypertension, but it shows we need to be more proactive in preventing lead exposure in the first place.

Lead screening slowed down over the pandemic.

Diagnosis Life summary:
Lead exposure is problematic for all ages but especially for children. Exposure at a young age can affect brain and nervous system development, causing hearing and speech difficulties, even learning and behavior problems. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic decreased the number of in-office pediatric visits. As a result, fewer kids got screened for lead. According to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (February 5, 2021; 70(5);155–161), 34% fewer children under 6 years old were screened from January to May 2020 than the same period in 2019. That’s more than 480,000 children who should have been tested! It is estimated that 9,603 of those children have elevated blood lead levels and could face complications if they are left untreated.

More people die from lead contamination than you realize.

Diagnosis Life summary:
People die from lead exposure every year. More recently, that was nearly 412,000 deaths! A study in The Lancet Public Health (https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(18)30025-2) found a 10-fold increase in deaths related to lead exposure. Specifically, the U.S. had a 37% increase in deaths for people with blood levels greater than 6.7 μg/dL (90% percentile). This is compared to people with levels less than 1 μg/dL (10% percentile). It is important to check for lead in your drinking water if you have an old home. Paint chips can also contain lead. If you worry you may have lead in your home, consider a home inspection.