Heart microplastics risk linked to textiles

SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS — Patients suffering major heart attacks are significantly more likely to have microplastics and nanoplastics in the blood flowing through their coronary arteries than other cardiac patients, according to new research published in the European Heart Journal.

The study, led by cardiologist Professor Paolo Paolisso at Sapienza University of Rome, analysed coronary blood from 61 patients and found micro- and nanoplastics in 84% of those with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), compared with 40% of patients with chronic coronary syndromes and 32% of controls with normal arteries.