Medical or occupational exposure to low doses of ionising radiation is linked to a modest increased lifetime risk of most cardiovascular diseases, a landmark review suggests.

International researchers report a dose-dependent relationship, with an excess lifetime risk of 2.3 to 3.9 heart disease–related deaths per 100 persons exposed to one Gy of radiation at the population level.

“Our findings suggest that radiation detriment might have been significantly underestimated, implying that radiation protection and optimisation at low doses should be rethought,” they wrote in The BMJ.

Although the health risks associated with exposure to high-dose ionising radiation are well established, the international team said much less was known about the effects of the low-dose range.