The team found plastics—mostly nanoplastics—in plaques from 150 of the patients. They also found that patients with plastic present had higher levels of inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s response to tissue damage. It’s thought to raise the risk of heart attack, which results from a blockage of blood flow to the heart. Inflammation may also increase risk of stroke, caused by uncontrolled bleeding or loss of blood flow in the brain. During the three-year study, patients with plastic detected in their plaque were 4.5 times more likely to die or suffer one of these serious cardiovascular problems than those without detectable plastic.
“This study has for the first time associated plastic pollution with human health and disease,” says study author Dr. Raffaele Marfella, a surgeon in Italy. If further studies confirm this connection, says Marfella, “the implications for cardiovascular health are staggering. This is a problem we cannot afford to ignore. And the only defense is prevention through reducing plastic pollution.”
In a world that produces record quantities of plastic every year, addressing the issue may seem overwhelming—but every bit helps (see Steps to Reduce Plastic Pollution). Marfella is hopeful that the new data will spark awareness and a call to action to confront the problem of plastic pollution. “This alarm message will help people and governments recognize that human health and planetary health are united,” says Marfella: “Plastic-free is healthy for the heart and the Earth.”