Agent Orange Linked to Parkinson’s and Severe Heart Problems, Researchers Say

Military personnel and others who were exposed to the defoliant Agent Orange and similar herbicides during the Vietnam War are at increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease and serious heart problems, new research suggests.

In a new study sponsored by the Veterans Affairs Department and conducted by the Institute of Medicine, researchers say the connection between the use of chemicals to remove foliage from the ground during the war and serious health complications appears to be even greater than previously thought.

Millions of Gallons of Agent Orange Were Used

From 1962 to 1970, the United States military sprayed millions of gallons of Agent Orange and similar chemical defoliants to clear thick forests in Vietnam, where Communist forces were known to hide. The chemicals were dumped from airplanes flying overhead, often in close proximity to ground U.S. military forces in the area.

Medical researchers who routinely study the effects of Agent Orange exposure on former soldiers investigated data in an effort to determine whether the exposure increased the risks of ischemic heart disease, in which the blood supply to the heart is reduced. They found a link between greater risks of the disease and people who had been exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

Researchers said other risk factors, such as smoking, advanced age, and weight, also contributed to the risks of heart disease, but they determined that those exposed to defoliant chemicals decades ago were at the highest risk.

On Parkinson’s disease, researchers determined the increased risk after reviewing 16 studies that looked at herbicide exposures among people with the disease or suffering from Parkinson’s-like symptoms. They cautioned, however, that the studies did not specifically investigate Parkinson’s rates among Vietnam War veterans so the findings will require further study to refine the findings, researchers said.

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