William Wagner
Microplastics and nanoplastics, or MNPs, are environmental pollutants that we encounter
every day from the use of various types of plastics. These tiny plastics can come from plastic
water bottles or even food containers and packaging. It has been known for quite some time now that these MNPs have the potential to be harmful to humans although scientists are still trying to determine exactly how they interact with the human body. In a recent study, researchers looked to determine whether or not there was an association between MNPs and heart disease.
To do this, doctors recruited 257 patients who were undergoing a procedure to remove plaque from their arteries that had built up as a result of carotid artery disease. Then, the researchers analyzed the plaque that was removed and tested it to see if there were any MNPs present in the plaque. From this, the doctors followed the individuals for about 34 months and noted whether or not each patient had any kind of cardiac event such as a stroke or heart attack. From this, the doctors found that the patients who had MNPs detected in their plaque were far more likely to have had a stroke or heart attack during the 34 months after the plaque was removed. This study has raised many questions about how MNPs could be impacting the human body however it is very important to note that the study is not saying that the MNPs caused the patients to have a heart attack or a stroke, but that there is an association between MNPs and heart disease. It is also important to note that there could be other explanations for this relationship such as the patients who ingested more MNPs tended to eat more processed and pre-packaged food which is less healthy and that is what contributed to their heart disease.
References:
Marfella R, Prattichizzo F, Sardu C, et al. Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events. N Engl J Med. 2024;390(10):900-910. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2309822
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