LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION
Possible Link Between Agent Orange, Heart Disease, and Parkinson's Disease Found
Results of a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), indicate there may be link between exposure to Agent Orange, a herbicide used in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and an increased risk for serious heart problems and Parkinson's disease (PD).
The report is the latest update in a congressionally mandated series by the IOM that reviews every 2 years the evidence about the health effects of this and other herbicides and the type of dioxin -- TCDD -- that contaminated some of American veterans of the Vietnam war.
Two recently published studies of Vietnam veterans who handled Agent Orange and other defoliants provide evidence that these veterans have higher rates of hypertension. Defined as blood pressure exceeding 140/90, hypertension affects more than 70 million American adults and is a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular ailments. The results also were consistent with findings from several other studies that looked at the health effects of herbicides and their contaminants on Vietnam veterans.
There were also findings suggestive of a link between ischemic heart disease and exposure to defoliants or dioxin.
The possible link between PD and Agent Orange is based on a review of 16 studies.
U.S. forces sprayed Agent Orange and other defoliants over parts of southern Vietnam and surrounding areas from 1962 to 1970. Most large-scale sprayings were conducted from airplanes and helicopters, but herbicides also were dispersed from boats and ground vehicles or by soldiers wearing back-mounted equipment.
JULY-24-09: Agent Orange linked to heart disease, Parkinson's [AP: AGENT ORANGE LINKED TO HEART DISEASE, PARKINSON'S]
Published on Jul-24-09
The report is the latest update in a congressionally mandated series by the IOM that reviews every 2 years the evidence about the health effects of this and other herbicides and the type of dioxin -- TCDD -- that contaminated some of American veterans of the Vietnam war.
Two recently published studies of Vietnam veterans who handled Agent Orange and other defoliants provide evidence that these veterans have higher rates of hypertension. Defined as blood pressure exceeding 140/90, hypertension affects more than 70 million American adults and is a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular ailments. The results also were consistent with findings from several other studies that looked at the health effects of herbicides and their contaminants on Vietnam veterans.
There were also findings suggestive of a link between ischemic heart disease and exposure to defoliants or dioxin.
The possible link between PD and Agent Orange is based on a review of 16 studies.
U.S. forces sprayed Agent Orange and other defoliants over parts of southern Vietnam and surrounding areas from 1962 to 1970. Most large-scale sprayings were conducted from airplanes and helicopters, but herbicides also were dispersed from boats and ground vehicles or by soldiers wearing back-mounted equipment.
JULY-24-09: Agent Orange linked to heart disease, Parkinson's [AP: AGENT ORANGE LINKED TO HEART DISEASE, PARKINSON'S]
Legal Help
If you or a loved one has suffered adverse health effects from exposure to Agent Orange or other dioxin-containing herbicides, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to a lawyer who may evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.Published on Jul-24-09