Abstract

Among the most readily existing chemical warfare agents, sulphur mustard (SM), also known as mustard gas, is the most commonly used agent owing to its ease of synthesis and stockpiling. Unprotected exposure mostly results in debilitation rather than lethal injuries, leaving an exposed victim incapacitated for days to even months. Although acute toxicity of sulphur mustard has been fairly established, the long-term post-exposure effects either chronic or short-term but significant are still evolving. A total of 30,000 Iranian victims of the Iran-Iraq imposed war have now - after 30 years - formed the key population demonstrating long-term effects from sulphur mustard exposure. Recent studies have shown that the prevalence of several long-term cardiovascular disorders (CVDs) has significantly increased among SM-exposed victims including coronary artery disorders (CAD), coronary artery ectasia (CAE), congestive heart failure (CHF) and myocardium abnormalities. The more important point is the lack of a determinant biomarker for early screening, recognizing, treating, monitoring and estimating exposed victims' response to applied therapy. Additionally, unidentified risk factors significantly decrease the chance of a successful therapy and result in undesired failure of a comprehensive therapeutic strategy. In this MiniReview, we examined the literature in detail to evaluate relevant reports considering long-term cardiovascular complications of SM, detecting possible risk factors and determining possible preventing events.