Environmental mercury exposure and blood pressure among Nunavik Inuit adults. Hypertension 2009; 54(5

Abstract—Epidemiological evidence suggests a negative impact of methylmercury on the cardiovascular system, but findings regarding the effect on blood pressure (BP) are not consistent. We aimed to study the impact of mercury levels on BP among Nunavik Inuit adults. The health survey Qanuippitaa? was conducted in Nunavik (northern Quebec, Canada), and data were obtained from 732 Inuit 18 years of age. Anthropometric blood samples, as well as systolic BP and diastolic BP, were assessed. Pulse pressure (systolic BPdiastolic BP) was calculated. Mercury blood concentration was used as a biomarker of recent exposure. Simple relations between mercury and BP parameters were studied by using the Pearson correlation, whereas multiple regressions were performed to control for confounders. Mean age of the participants was 34.3 years (95 % CI: 33.6 to 34.9 years). Systolic BP, diastolic BP, and pulse pressure mean