Health

Study Finds Microplastics in 84% of Heart Attack Patients

Are microplastics a proven heart attack risk or is the alarming new research too flawed to trust?

Published JUL 16

Study Finds Microplastics in 84% of Heart Attack Patients

Story

Above: Microplastics in glass tubes in the laboratory of the State Agency for Nature, Environment and Climate, Max Prüss, Germany on Aug. 13, 2025. Image credit: Oliver Berg/picture alliance/Getty Images

The Facts

A study published in the European Heart Journal on Wednesday found micro- and nanoplastics in the coronary blood of 84% of heart attack patients, compared with 40% of those with chronic ischemic heart disease and 32% of patients with normal coronary arteries.
Oxford Academic
Independent
The cross-sectional study included 61 patients in Italy undergoing coronary angiography, divided into three groups: those with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, those with chronic coronary syndromes and controls with normal coronary arteries.
MedPage Today
European Society of Cardiology
Polyethylene, widely used in packaging and consumer products, was the predominant plastic type detected, accounting for 97% of findings. Heart attack patients also showed a greater variety of plastic types and higher concentrations than other groups.
Oxford Academic
EverydayHealth.com
Smokers were six times more likely to have detectable microplastics in their blood, and smoking history was the only independent predictor of plastic presence on multivariable analysis, with an odds ratio of 5.69.
MedPage Today
EL PAÍS English
All patients who smoked and were exposed to higher long-term air pollution levels had detectable levels of plastics in their blood, compared with 12.5% of those who neither smoked nor were exposed to elevated pollution.
EverydayHealth.com
European Society of Cardiology

Sources Split

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CENTER

RIGHT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

This study is built on shaky ground — the sample size is too small to draw reliable conclusions, and the primary detection method yields false positives because lipid breakdown mimics plastic signals. Measured concentrations were so high that they matched wastewater influent levels, strongly indicating contamination from medical equipment during the procedure itself. Until these gaps are addressed, the alarm over microplastics and heart disease is getting way ahead of the actual evidence.

Science Media Centre España

Narrative B

This study raises serious concerns about long-term human health, as microplastics contribute to inflammation and blood vessel damage and are linked to a 4.5-fold higher risk of heart attack, stroke or death — and that's after adjusting for standard cardiovascular risk factors. While more studies are needed, the findings strengthen calls to reduce plastic pollution, improve food safety and minimize daily exposure, encouraging precautionary action until clearer scientific evidence becomes available through future research.