New Research Suggests That Over Half Of Heart Disease Patients Have Microplastics And Nanoplastics In Their Clogged Arteries, Which May Lead To A Significantly Higher Risk Of Cardiovascular Incidents Like Heart Attacks Or Strokes
Today, plastic pollution pervades even the air we breathe. Now, a troubling new study has highlighted an unsettling fact for heart disease patients: their arteries might be harboring more plastic particles than actual plaque.
Researchers in Italy made his startling discovery, finding that over half of the individuals they studied had microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics embedded within the plaque obstructing their arteries.
The study zeroed in on patients slated for surgery due to plaque accumulation in their arteries, particularly targeting the carotid artery that feeds blood to the brain.
The researchers meticulously examined the plaque removed during these operations using advanced methods such as pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, stable isotope analysis, and electron microscopy.
These cutting-edge techniques are designed to decode the chemical composition of materials and capture images of even the smallest particles, effectively enabling scientists to detect the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics– collectively referred to as MNPs– within the arterial plaque.
The results were astonishing: almost 60% of the patients examined had plastic particles lodged in the plaque within their arteries. Most notably, polyethylene, the substance used in manufacturing shopping bags and packaging materials, was detected in the plaque of 58.4% of the patients.
Additionally, polyvinyl chloride, which is a material found in a wide range of products such as pipes and vinyl records, was identified in 12.1% of the samples.
The detection of these substances was visually verified through electron microscopy, revealing jagged-edged particles intertwined with the cells tasked with clearing away debris, as well as dispersed throughout the plaque.
Some of these particles were even found to contain chlorine, a constituent of polyvinyl chloride, indicating the varied types of plastics infiltrating our vascular systems.
David Pereiras – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
The study also extended beyond merely detecting these particles, delving into what this means for patient health.
Tracking the health outcomes of 257 patients over an average span of almost 34 months, the research unveiled that individuals with MNPs in their plaque were significantly more likely to experience serious cardiovascular incidents— such as strokes, heart attacks, or mortality— compared to individuals without these particles. Specifically, the risk for those harboring MNPs in their arterial plaque was more than four times higher.
According to Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, who wrote an editorial piece linked to the new research, humans encounter microplastics and nanoplastics through both ingestion and inhalation.
Past research has found these particles in various human tissues, such as the colon, liver, spleen, placenta, and lymph nodes.
Studies in animals suggest that microplastics and nanoplastics can lead to toxic outcomes across different body sites, possibly by triggering oxidative stress.
Up until this point, there has been limited data on the health impacts of these particles on humans when ingested or inhaled.
“The plastics crisis has grown insidiously while all eyes have focused on climate change. Like solutions to climate change, the resolution of the problems associated with plastics will require a wide-scale transition away from fossil carbon. The path will not be easy, but inaction is no longer an option,” Dr. Landrigan concluded.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, visit the link here.
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