Heart Health
Recent research suggests that microplastics could be a new risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Studies in various lab settings indicate that microplastics can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell damage in blood vessels and heart tissue, which have been linked to changes in heart rate, impaired heart function, myocardial fibrosis, and damage to blood vessel linings.
While more research is needed to confirm the true contributions of microplastics to cardiovascular disease, one study found that patients with carotid artery plaque containing microplastics had a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and even death compared to those without detectable plastic particles.
As plastic production continues to grow, microplastics are becoming increasingly detectable in various human tissues—including the lungs, liver, placenta, breast milk, urine, and blood—raising concerns about their impact on health.
Source: “Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events”, New England Journal of Medicine, 2024