- Unnikrishnan S
Doctors warn that plastic particles entering our bodies through food, water, and air can damage various organs, including the heart and kidneys, and also increase the risk of heart attack.
In industry, modern plastic was seen as a tool for progress. At the same time, vascular specialists are now increasingly confronting its darker side.
Microscopic plastic waste inside the blood vessels of the human body has emerged as a major global health crisis.
While the accumulation of plastic waste in the sea and other water bodies is considered harmful to the environment, the mixing of plastic waste into the human body is now something that needs to raise public awareness.
Plastic infiltration in the body
Very tiny particles from the plastic items we use every day enter our bodies without being visible to the naked eye.
Plastic particles enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption by the body. When they accumulate in the body, various physical problems arise.
Heart damage
Speaking about this, Dr. G. Dimpu Edwin Jonathan, a cardiology consultant at Aster RV Hospital in Bengaluru, said,
"These tiny plastic particles disrupt the vascular system once they enter the bloodstream. Microplastics are the smallest pieces/particles of plastic. People can ingest them through the food they eat, the water they drink, or by inhaling them through the air. Once inside the body, some of them can overcome the body's defenses and enter the bloodstream, traveling through blood vessels to other organs.
In the body, endothelial cells perform functions such as maintaining the tightness of blood vessels, regulating blood flow, and preventing abnormal blood clotting. However, tiny plastic particles can severely damage the delicate inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium. When this inner lining is damaged, its ability to expand and contract decreases. This is an early sign of heart disease. Its effects also spread to the heart muscle tissue.
Microplastics may affect heart tissue and the way heart cells send signals. That is, after these particles enter the bloodstream and reach heart cells, those cells come under stress. Sometimes they also affect the mitochondria. As a result, the cells produce less energy, so they cannot contract fully," he said.
Can it cause a heart attack?
Not only does it reduce the energy of cells, it also causes fat and waste to build up in the coronary arteries, increasing the risk of a sudden heart attack. Researchers are closely monitoring this issue. Researchers have confirmed the presence of micro- and nanoplastic particles in carotid artery plaques removed during vascular surgery.
Dr. Harikrishnan, Professor and Head of the Department of Cardiology at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram,
"Once microplastics enter the bloodstream throughout the body, studies show that they accumulate in blockages within blood vessels. We have directly detected this.
In an examination of carotid artery blockages, microplastics were found in about 50% of the patients tested. New studies indicate that they trigger endothelial dysfunction, increase inflammation in blood vessels, and ultimately raise the risk of heart attack. These mechanisms vary depending on the type of plastic. What happens when microplastics remain in the body, especially in the arterial wall, is still part of medical research," he said.
Dr. R.C. Sreekumar, President of the Indian Society of Vascular Surgery and Head of the Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Department at Pran Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, said that plastic particles entering the body could block arteries and cause damage to organs such as the brain and heart. He also said that a carotid artery study found that plastic contains a high amount of polyethylene. However, he added that long-term follow-up studies on this are still needed.
It has not yet been fully proven that microplastics cause heart disease, and experts emphasize that studies are needed to determine how much of an impact they have and which types of plastic cause the most harm.
People should, as far as possible, avoid plastic products while keeping their health condition in mind, as this can help reduce such risks.
In Tamil: M. Muthumari