Radon Exposure Linked to Heart Failure Risk

A study of more than 43,000 postmenopausal women links high indoor radon levels to higher rates of heart failure.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Heart Disease

Radon Exposure Linked to Heart Failure Risk

Live Poll

Have you had your home tested for radon?

Researchers reported in JAMA Network Open on November 5, 2026, that postmenopausal women exposed to high indoor radon levels faced a higher risk of heart failure. Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas that the EPA says should be reduced in homes above 4 picocuries per liter of air.

Why it matters

Radon is already the nation's second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, and about one-quarter of Americans live in places that exceed the EPA radon level. The findings add a possible cardiovascular dimension to a risk many homeowners have never tested for.

The study tracked more than 43,000 postmenopausal women, and 23% were exposed to radon above the EPA limit of 4 picocuries per liter. Exposed women had a 19% higher heart failure risk, while the causal link between radon and heart outcomes remains unconfirmed.

The players

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

A public research university whose researchers led the study linking radon exposure to heart failure in postmenopausal women.

Northwell Health

A New York-based health system whose expert, based in New York City, was quoted in coverage of the radon and heart failure findings.

The details

Radon seeps into homes through crawlspaces, basement floor slabs, and cracked or porous foundation walls. Researchers tracked the health of postmenopausal women over time and compared those with high radon exposure against those with lower exposure.

Nov. 5, 2026: Study published in JAMA Network Open and news release issued.

Big Picture

The EPA's 4 picocuries per liter radon action level was set with lung cancer in mind, and this study suggests that threshold may also carry cardiovascular relevance for older women. Whether the agency revisits its guidance will depend on whether later research confirms the heart failure association.

Homeowners in high-radon areas may consider testing their homes, since radon exposure is a known lung cancer risk and this study adds a possible heart failure link. Testing is the only way to know whether indoor levels exceed the EPA's 4 picocurie threshold.

The takeaway

Testing indoor air for radon is a simple step that addresses a known lung cancer risk and may also matter for heart health. Consider a home test if your home has a basement or crawlspace.