Hypertension in Oregon pesticide-formulating workers.

In a statewide survey of hypertension prevalence among pesticideformulating workers and controls in Oregon, we found no difference in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure values but a modest excess of hypertension prevalence among chlorophenoxy herbicide workers which was largely explained by a greater constitutional predisposition to hypertension as estimated by positive family histories. Neither our study nor other published to date are adequate to allay the suspicion that chronic pesticide exposure may increase the risk of hypertension manifestation.