Can microplastics increase the risk of heart disease?
Recent research has raised serious concerns about the potential link between microplastics and cardiovascular disease. A landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2024) investigated patients undergoing surgery for carotid artery disease and found something unexpected: tiny plastic particles embedded directly in arterial plaque.
The researchers analyzed plaque samples from over 300 patients and detected microplastics and nanoplastics, mainly polyethylene and PVC—in more than half of them.
What made the findings especially alarming was what happened next. Over a follow-up period of roughly three years, patients whose arterial plaque contained these plastic particles were significantly more likely to experience serious cardiovascular events. In fact, they had about a 4.5 times higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death compared to those without detectable microplastics.
Why could this happen?
Scientists are still trying to understand the mechanisms, but several explanations have been proposed. Microplastics are not biologically inert, they can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune responses in the body. These processes are already known to play a key role in the development of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in arteries that leads to heart attacks and strokes.
Additionally, microplastics may act as carriers for toxic chemicals or harmful microbes, potentially worsening damage inside blood vessels.
Important: correlation is not causation
Despite the striking results, researchers emphasize that this study does not prove that microplastics directly cause heart disease. The study was observational and focused on a high-risk group of patients, meaning other factors, such as smoking, diabetes, or cholesterol, could also have influenced the outcomes.
Sources
- Marfella, R. et al. (2024). Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events. New England Journal of Medicine.
- European PMC summary of the study: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC11009876/
- Nature Reviews Cardiology – inflammation and cardiovascular disease: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41569-026-01277-9
- European Heart Journal – microplastics and cardiovascular implications: https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/45/38/4099/7750375
- Microplastics Info – analysis and limitations of the study: https://microplasticsinfo.org/microplastics-heart-disease-study-analysis/
