0
Article Tier 2 Human Health Effects Nanoplastics Sign in to save

Micro- and nanoplastics are elevated in femoral atherosclerotic plaques compared with undiseased arteries

JVS Vascular Science 2025 3 citations

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers found significantly higher concentrations of microplastics and nanoplastics in diseased arterial plaques from human patients with limb-threatening vascular disease compared to healthy arteries, adding to growing evidence that these particles accumulate in cardiovascular tissue and may play a role in artery disease.

Body Systems
Models

This work demonstrates high levels of micronanoplastics (MNPs) in human femoral artery atherosclerotic plaques as compared with healthy, nondiseased human carotid arteries. No clear associations between age and MNP levels were demonstrated amongst limb ischemia or control patients. Some individual polymers are associated with advanced atherosclerotic disease (chronic limb-threatening ischemia) compared with claudication. These data add to the growing literature suggesting that MNP particles accumulate in atherosclerotic lesions. Future work should investigate what mechanistic role, if any, MNPs may play in the pathophysiology of vascular atherosclerotic disease.

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

Microplastics found in artery plaque linked with higher risk of heart attack, stroke and death

AI summary Read the abstract

Researchers report that microplastics found in arterial plaque are associated with significantly higher rates of heart attack, stroke, and death, adding to accumulating evidence that microplastic exposure may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk through mechanisms that are still being investigated.

Article Tier 2

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events

AI summary Read the abstract

This landmark clinical study found that patients with micro- and nanoplastics detected in their carotid artery plaque had a significantly higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or death over a 34-month follow-up period compared to those without detectable plastics. This is one of the first studies to directly link microplastic presence in human blood vessels to worse cardiovascular outcomes. The findings suggest that plastic accumulation in arteries may be an important and previously unrecognized risk factor for heart disease.

Article Tier 2

Micro and Nano-plastic particles: What are they and do they effect cardiovascular health?

AI summary Read the abstract

This review examines the cardiovascular health effects of micro- and nanoplastics, summarizing evidence that these particles have been detected in human tissues including arterial plaques and may promote endothelial dysfunction and inflammation. The authors call for further clinical and epidemiological research into cardiac risk.

Article Tier 2

Tissue-specific distribution of microplastics in human blood and carotid plaques: A paired sample analysis

AI summary Read the abstract

In a study of 20 patients undergoing surgery for clogged neck arteries, researchers found microplastics in both blood and artery plaque samples from every patient. The plaques contained nearly six times more microplastics than blood, suggesting that plastics accumulate in damaged blood vessels. Some types of microplastics were linked to changes in cholesterol levels, raising questions about whether plastic particles could worsen heart disease.

Article Tier 2

P69 | Microplastics and Atherosclerosis: Evidence of Microplastics in Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaques

AI summary Read the abstract

This conference abstract reports the detection of multiple types of microplastics in human coronary, carotid, and aortic arteries, finding higher MP concentrations in arteries with atherosclerotic plaques than in plaque-free aortic tissue, suggesting a link between microplastic accumulation and arterial disease.

Research digests by email

When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.

Email me about

Share this paper