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Microplastics are everywhere, including fatty deposits called plaque that can build up in your arteries and cause heart disease and stroke.
Italian researchers found that people with microplastics in the plaque that clogs their neck arteries had a 4.5 times higher risk of heart attack, stroke and death than those without plastic in their plaques. It was announced that. Dr. Eric Topol is a cardiologist and executive vice president of Scripps Research in La Jolla, California.
“That’s unusual,” he said.
“I have been a cardiologist for more than 30 years, but I never imagined that microplastics existed in the arteries and that their presence could accelerate arteriosclerosis,” he said.
The study was published in this week’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Although researchers were able to link the presence of microplastics to health effects, it has not been proven that microplastics caused an increase in deaths or heart disease, as other variables may be at play. .
Blockage of the arteries, especially the carotid arteries in the neck, is a well-known danger sign of stroke and heart disease. When arteries in the neck become blocked or congested with plaque, blood flow to the brain is reduced, which can lead to stroke and even death.
One treatment option is to surgically remove the plaque plug.
Numerous studies have shown that small pieces of plastic (some so small that they can’t be seen) can enter the human body through food, inhalation, or skin exposure, and can be found in the placenta, lungs, liver, and other parts of the body. It has been shown to be found in breast milk, urine, and blood.
To find out whether microplastics are present in fat deposits, Italian researchers tested microplastics in plaques removed from the necks of 257 patients between 2019 and 2020. did.
Of these, 150 – 58% – contained measurable amounts of polyethylene and, in some cases, polyvinyl chloride.
Using chemical tests and electron microscopy, the researchers also found “visible jagged foreign particles” in the fat deposits.
Previous studies have shown that microplastic and nanoplastic particles can cause inflammation and other negative effects in the body. Researchers in Italy tested for inflammatory markers and found that patients with higher levels of microplastics had more inflammatory markers in their blood.
After studying patients over a 34-month period, the researchers found that those with microplastics and inflammatory markers were 4.5 times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or death than those without.
Dr. Philip Landrigan, who wrote an editorial published with the study, said the study was a call to arms.
“Doing nothing is no longer an option,” wrote Landrigan, who directs the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good at Boston University.
“What can doctors and other health professionals do? The first step is to recognize that the low cost and convenience of plastics is deceptive and actually hides great harm.” said. “We need to encourage patients to reduce their use of plastic, especially unnecessary single-use products.”
He said that at national and international levels, there needs to be a focus on limiting plastics as part of the transition away from carbon-based products that contribute to climate change.
Topol agreed that this study should mark a turning point.
“This is big. This is the biggest blowout for plastics that we’ve ever seen,” he said.
Finding microplastics in human arteries was a big deal, but following patients for three years and finding that the disease and mortality rates were 4.5 times higher was huge, he said.
“They basically connected the dots: the presence of plastic in the arteries, severe inflammation, and events like strokes, heart attacks, and death. They had everything,” Topol said. .
Contributor: Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY
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