Residents of Indianapolis’ Martindale Brightwood neighborhood are confronting stubbornly high rates of hypertension, and public health experts point to lead exposure as a likely contributor.

According to the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for Martindale Brightwood (ZIP codes 46202, 46205 and 46218), the neighborhood “had a higher rate than Marion County” for hypertension hospitalizations and hypertension deaths across multiple time periods analyzed. Those hospitalization rates remained elevated between 2007 and 2021. The HIA also cautions that many factors contribute to hypertension but explicitly lists lead exposure among environmental concerns considered in the assessment.

How lead may raise blood pressure

In a 2007 systematic review publ

See Full Page