Microplastics and nanoplastics are emerging environmental issues in the modern world. These pollutants are everywhere—from ocean depths to food and breast milk. Microplastics’ health effects remain unknown.
Microplastics may harm heart health, according to a major New England Journal of Medicine study last month. University of Campania researchers led by Dr. Raffaele Marfella Luigi Vanvitelli detected microplastics in arterial plaque, fatty deposits that impede blood flow and raise heart attack and stroke risk, in Italy.
This finding counts. Microplastics in plaque and cardiovascular events risk are worrying, however association does not suggest causality. “This is a new space and definitely a wake-up call,” said Johns Hopkins Medicine general cardiology fellow Rick Ferraro.
Carotid endarterectomy, which removes plaque in the brain-supplying carotid arteries, was performed on over 250 patients. About 60% of patients had polyethylene microplastics in their plaque, and 12% had PVC. Bottles, food packaging, and construction items use these two plastics most.
The cardiovascular risk relationship between microplastics was most concerning. Microplastics in plaque increased heart attack, stroke, and mortality 4.5 times within 34 months of surgery.
This study doesn’t prove microplastics cause CVD. Plaque increased cardiovascular event risk in the research.
“This study included patients at higher risk due to carotid plaque that required surgery,” stated non-participant Vanderbilt University Medical Center director of vascular medicine Aaron Aday. “However, it is sobering and frightening to observe how substantial the downstream cardiovascular risk was for patients with microplastics in their plaque.”
Microplastics are another problem. Plastic is generated annually in excess of 380 million tons and breaks down into microscopic fragments that last millennia. Microplastics and nanoplastics have been found in deep oceans, unknown caves, even our air.
Another issue is microplastics’ ability to penetrate the circulatory system and heart. They may damage the heart and blood vessels in animals, but further research is needed on humans.
“Nanoplastics and microplastics can infiltrate the circulatory system and be found in organs like the heart,” he warned. “They can damage the heart and blood arteries in animal tests, but we haven’t got any significant human research yet.”
This discovery is promising, but further research is needed to link microplastics to heart health. Investigations must be larger and more diverse.
“We would certainly like to see this study repeated with a larger number of patients and in other parts of the world,” Dr. Aday added, emphasizing diversity.
Understanding the cardiovascular risks of microplastics and nanoplastics across populations is critical.
This study exposes plastic pollution and its health risks, yet the full picture is unknown. Research on how microplastics affect cardiovascular disease is essential to guide preventative efforts for human and environmental health.
