Metals, cardiovascular risk, and the interplay with oxidative stress: a mini-review

Oxidative stress plays a key role in the mechanisms underlying pathophysiological processes, such as inflammation, age-related degenerative phenomena, atherosclerosis, hypertension, cancer, diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative diseases, xenobiotic toxicity, among others. It is generated by the production of free radicals, resulting from the oxidative metabolism of cells. Oxidative stress is an important defense against infections. It acts specifically as a vasodilator and helps modulate antioxidant mechanisms. However, the effects become harmful when its production increases or antioxidant mechanisms are excessively reduced. Toxic metals from environmental and occupational exposure are silent agents that induce oxidative stress. Metals such as mercury (Hg), aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) are known to be toxic to various organs and tissues in our body. The present mini-review focuses on the cardiovascular system, considering that the interplay between oxidative stress and toxic metals acting silently is involved in their harmful effects, especially on the etiopathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders. A brief review is also given regarding the mechanisms of modulation of redox homeostasis by organic mechanisms, pharmacological approaches that can act directly or indirectly as antioxidants, and food-derived compounds that appear to be effective inhibitors of oxidative stress, thus preventing the harmful effects of free radicals.