The Institute of Medicine, in a recent update to its ongoing study of the effects of Agent Orange on Veterans, reported that there may be a link between exposure to Agent Orange and the development of high blood pressure later in life. While the Institute is careful to note that the body of evidence is limited and only "suggests" a link, the data does seem to show that Veterans who worked with Agent Orange and other defoliants during the Vietnam war tend to develop high blood pressure at a higher rate than the general population.
The Institute has been running a long term study on the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange for decades, and releases an updated report every year, which details new findings and updates to previously obtained data. In addition to the information about high blood pressure, the 2007 update (which covers data obtained in 2006) also moved a type of heart disease into a category indicating a possible link to Agent Orange exposure.
