Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) are toxic elements widely distributed in the environment. Exposure to these elements was attributed to produce several acute and chronic illnesses including hypertension. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the most frequently proposed mechanisms underlying hypertension associated with As, Cd, and Hg exposure including: oxidative stress, impaired nitric oxide (NO) signaling, modified vascular response to neurotransmitters and disturbed vascular muscle Ca2+ signaling, renal damage, and interference with the renin-angiotensin system. Due to the complexity of the vascular system, a combination rather than a singular mechanism needs to be considered. In addition, epidemiological findings showing the relationship between various biomarkers of metal exposure and hypertension are described. Given the complex etiology of hypertension, further epidemiological studies evaluating the roles of confounding factors such as age, gender, and life style are still necessary.

中文翻译：

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砷，镉和汞引起的高血压：机理和流行病学发现。

砷（As），镉（Cd）和汞（Hg）是在环境中广泛分布的有毒元素。接触这些元素可导致产生多种急性和慢性疾病，包括高血压。这篇综述的目的是概述与砷，镉和汞接触有关的高血压最常见的机制，包括：氧化应激，一氧化氮（NO）信号受损，对神经递质的血管反应改变以及血管肌肉钙离子异常信号，肾脏损害和对肾素-血管紧张素系统的干扰。由于血管系统的复杂性，需要考虑组合而不是单一的机制。另外，描述了流行病学发现，表明金属暴露的各种生物标志物与高血压之间的关系。