Dietary Mercury Induces Congestive Cardiomyophaty in the Arctic

Summary

With the introduction of echocardiography to the Arctic, a new disease can be described: Arctic cardiomyopathy. In all patients, toxic levels of serum mercury were documented, and coronary artery disease as well as alcohol abuse were ruled out. All patients came from the most remote areas, where the population feeds on the typical Eskimo diet of seal. Seal is known to be high in mercury and because meat from seal is the major food source in Arctic regions, dietary mercury might be the source of the toxic mercury levels found in patients residing these. The high mercury levels in the Arctic seems to be a longlasting phenomenon. Investigations on Greenland mummies, dating back to the year 1475, have shown similar high mercury levels. Thus, pollution of the environment may not be as critical as non-pollution-related mercury levels in the seal.

Greenland is the biggest island in the world. Its population is approximately 50,000 (35,000 Eskimos and 15,000 Europeans). The Eskimoes live in small communities scattered along the coast line. Most of the country is covered by the world’ s second largest ice cap and travel distances are enormous, especially when considering transport facilities. The north polar circle runs through the middle of the country and the climate is arctic, with winters lasting 8 or more months and summers that may be as short as 1 month.

The main food supply in the Arctic comes from the sea: fish, seal, and whale. Only in the southwestern part of the country can muskox and reindeer be hunted. Major cities with regular air transport get fruit and vegetables flown in all year long at a considerable cost and on the southwest coast sea transport of the food supply takes place 8-10 months per year. The rest of the country has a very sparse food supply from the outside. The east coast and the two most northern districts on the west coast get their food and fuel supplies by boat only once a year. Thus, Eskimos in isolated districts and in remote settlements depend on eating the traditional Eskimo diet of seal.