Microplastics detected in most heart attack patients' blood in startling new study - Fox News

Video HHS, EPA target microplastics in food and water in new initiative Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel sits down with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin for an exclusive interview on a new push to remove microplastics from the food supply and environment. Patients experiencing severe heart attacks may have significantly higher concentrations of micro- and nanoplastics in their blood compared to individuals with stable heart conditions, according to new research. Italian researchers analyzed blood samples from the coronary arteries of 61 patients undergoing angiograms, a procedure that analyzes blood vessels for irregularities. They found that nearly 84% of patients suffering an active, severe heart attack had detectable micro- and nanoplastics in their blood. In contrast, plastic was detected in 40% of patients with chronic heart disease and only 32% of those with normal coronary arteries. NOTABLE FIGURES WHO DIED FROM THE SAME HEART CONDITION LINKED TO LINDSEY GRAHAM'S DEATH Researchers led by Dr. Raffaele Marfella of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli in Naples conducted the study, which was published in the European Heart Journal. Polyethylene, a common material used in plastic bags and bottles, appeared in 97% of those patients who tested positive. Severe heart attack patients were significantly more likely to have micro- and nanoplastics in their blood than those with stable heart conditions or clear arteries. (iStock) "This study adds to emerging research showing the potential role of micro- and nanoplastics in heart disease," Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, told Fox News Digital. While notable, the findings should be considered in the broader context of environmental health hazards, said New York City-based Routhenstein, who was not involved in the study. "While these findings are interesting and highlight the importance of paying attention to environmental factors that may contribute to inflammation and blood vessel injury, they do not prove that plastics cause heart attacks," she said. The findings align with previous research detecting microplastics in arterial plaque, Routhenstein noted, although she cautioned that the study has several limitations. A history of smoking emerged as the single strongest predictor of detectable plastic particles in the blood, the researchers found. (iStock) "This was an observational study, so it can only show an association, not cause and effect," she said. "It also included a relatively small group of patients from one country, so we can't assume the findings apply to everyone."