Italian researchers detected plastic particles in the coronary blood of 84% of patients suffering from a major type of heart attack, compared with 32% of participants whose coronary arteries were healthy.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Microplastic particles were substantially more common in blood taken from patients experiencing severe heart attacks than in samples from people with healthy coronary arteries, according to new research led by Emanuele Barbato of Sapienza University of Rome.
The study examined patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, commonly known as STEMI, an emergency in which a coronary artery becomes suddenly blocked and deprives part of the heart muscle of oxygen-rich blood.
Researchers detected microplastics in the coronary blood of 84% of participants who had suffered a STEMI. Among participants whose coronary arteries were considered healthy, 32% had detectable plastic particles.
Polyethylene, a widely used plastic found in packaging and numerous consumer products, was the material identified most frequently.
The findings contribute to ongoing research examining whether widespread exposure to microscopic plastic particles may be associated with inflammation, blood vessel damage and cardiovascular disease. The study does not establish that microplastics directly caused the heart attacks, and researchers said additional investigation will be necessary to determine whether the relationship is causal.
Unlike earlier studies that analyzed plastic particles trapped inside arterial plaque, the new research examined blood drawn directly from the coronary arteries of patients undergoing angiography. That approach allowed investigators to measure particles circulating in the blood supply serving the heart.
Patients with detectable microplastics also had higher concentrations of inflammatory markers associated with unstable arterial plaque and heart attacks, according to the study.
Inflammation can contribute to the weakening or rupture of plaque inside a coronary artery. When plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form and obstruct blood flow, potentially producing a STEMI.
The findings are consistent with previous research examining microplastics and nanoplastics embedded within arterial plaque. A 2024 study found that patients whose plaque contained plastic particles had an elevated risk of heart attack, stroke and premature death.
Another investigation found microplastics in human arterial plaque at levels 51 times higher among patients who had experienced heart attacks or strokes.
Nanoplastics are even smaller than microplastics and may be capable of passing from the lungs or digestive tract into the bloodstream. Because of their size, researchers are examining whether they can enter cells and accumulate within tissues and major organs.
The Italian study also identified cigarette smoking and prolonged exposure to fine-particle air pollution as independent factors associated with detecting microplastics in the bloodstream.
“Smoking may act as both a source of toxins and a pathway for plastics to reach the blood,” Barbato said, according to the National Pulse.
Researchers suggested that smoking-related lung damage could make it easier for inhaled particles to cross into circulation. Airborne microplastics and other pollutants may also enter the body through breathing, although scientists continue to investigate the relative importance of respiratory, dietary and other exposure routes.
Dr. Joyce Oen-Hsiao, a Yale Medicine cardiologist who was not involved in the study, said the findings support concerns that plastic particles may provoke inflammation in blood vessels.
“This adds to the evidence that microplastics can lead to localized inflammatory reactions, which can raise the risk of heart attack due to plaque rupture,” Oen-Hsiao said, according to Everyday Health.
Researchers and outside experts nevertheless cautioned against interpreting the findings as proof that microplastics independently cause cardiovascular emergencies.
Because the study was observational, it could identify an association but could not determine whether the particles directly triggered heart attacks. Other factors, including smoking, pollution exposure, diet, existing cardiovascular disease and socioeconomic conditions, could influence both microplastic exposure and heart risk.
The results raise additional questions about the potential health consequences of environmental plastic contamination. Microplastic particles have been detected in food, drinking water, air and several parts of the human body.
Scientists are continuing to study how the particles enter circulation, how long they remain in tissues and whether they directly contribute to inflammation, clotting abnormalities or blood vessel damage.
People seeking to reduce exposure may limit the use of plastic containers for hot foods and beverages because heat can increase the release of particles. Glass or stainless-steel containers can be used as alternatives when practical.
Experts also recommend avoiding the heating of food in plastic packaging and considering filtered tap water in place of bottled water, which has been found in multiple studies to contain microplastic particles.
Those steps may reduce some sources of exposure, but they cannot eliminate it because microscopic plastics are widespread throughout the environment.
The researchers said larger and longer-term studies will be needed to establish whether microplastics play a direct role in causing heart attacks and to determine whether reducing exposure lowers cardiovascular risk.
For now, the findings offer another indication that environmental contaminants may be relevant to heart health while leaving unresolved the central question of whether the plastic particles are a cause of cardiovascular disease, a consequence of related exposures or a marker of broader environmental risk.
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