Exposure to heavy metals may increase risk of calcium buildup in the walls of coronary arteries, which can lead to chronically narrowed arteries, a new study found.

People with high levels of metals found in tobacco smoke, fertilizers and batteries are more likely to develop atherosclerosis, a disease that reduces blood flow to organs.

Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM) is defined as having two or more cardiometabolic diseases — Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke.

These and other metals found in the environment can collect in the body and exacerbate heart disease, new research suggests.

New research has established a link between exposure to metal pollutants in the air and increased calcium buildup in the coronary arteries, at a level comparable to established risk factors like smoking and diabetes The study was published in the journal of the American College of Cardiology.