A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics to cardiovascular disease in humans for the first time.
The observational study involved 304 patients who were undergoing a surgery for asymptomatic carotid artery disease. The carotid arteries are the main blood vessels that carry oxygen and blood to the brain. In carotid artery disease, these arteries become narrowed, which reduces blood flow to the brain and can cause a stroke.
The study said polyethylene was detected in the carotid artery plaque of 150 patients (58.4 percent), and 31 of the patients (12.1 percent) also had measurable amounts of PVC.
Those with plastic particles in their carotid artery plaque had a 4.5 times higher risk of experiencing a heart attack, stroke or dying during the next three years, the researchers found after taking individuals’ other risk factors into account.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year, according to the World Health Organization.
The report authors noted the study does not prove the microplastics caused a greater risk of health problems but does find an important link between them and cardiovascular complications that should be further studied, the website Stat reported.
Linking microplastics to these diseases adds to calls to limit human exposure to these particles.
Previous studies have found microplastics in other organs, including the brain. Microplastics have been discovered in the air, in water systems and food chains around the world. While their negative impacts on marine organisms have been established, few studies have examined the potential health impacts on mammals.