2 months ago

Study Links Heart Attacks to Microplastics in Blood

Study Links Heart Attacks to Microplastics in Blood
Patients Who Suffer Heart Attack Have More Micro And Nanoplastic In Their Blood: Study · NDTV

Scientists in Italy found tiny plastic pieces, called microplastics, in the blood of people who had heart attacks.

They also noticed that smokers, especially those exposed to a lot of air pollution, had more of these plastics in their blood.

This might mean that smoking helps these tiny plastics get into our blood.

However, the study doesn't prove that these plastics cause heart attacks.

It just shows that they are there more often in people who had heart attacks.

The scientists think that smoking and pollution might work together to make these plastics get into our blood more easily.

They also remind us that smoking is very bad for our health in many ways.

Key facts

Study Location
Italy
Journal
European Heart Journal
Participants
61 patients undergoing coronary angiography
Microplastics Detection
84% in heart attack patients, 40% in chronic coronary disease, 32% in normal arteries
Most Common Plastic
Polyethylene (packaging)
Smokers with High Pollution
100% had detectable plastics
Non-Smokers with Low Pollution
12.5% had detectable plastics

Quotes

David C. Gaze

Senior Lecturer in Chemical Pathology, University of Westminster

“This small study doesn't prove plastics caused heart disease, but it does remind us that smoking is more than a source of toxic chemicals. It may also be helping transport another modern pollutant to places in the body we never expected to find it.”
NDTV

Sources

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