Lahore: Heath experts said that ultra-fine plastic particles were reaching the arteries of the heart through human blood and causing heart attacks. They opined that the research had revealed a worrying revelation that the plastic particles around were entering the body through food, water and air and affecting the heart. Experts estimate that humans were eating plastic equivalent to a credit card every week. During the research process, three groups of 6 people were formed, including heart attack patients, people with narrowed arteries and healthy people.
During the research, blood vessels were examined using modern laboratory technology to assess the level of plastic particles in them. The results showed that 84 percent of patients who had suffered a heart attack had plastic particles in their arteries. Similarly, these harmful particles were also found in the arteries of 40 percent of people with narrowed arteries and 32 percent of people who appeared healthy.
The amount of polythene plastic was the highest among them. The study found that this material accumulating in the arteries can lead to heart attacks, strokes and sudden death. Experts have warned that smoking and air pollution are also playing a key role in the accumulation of these plastic particles in the arteries of the heart, which is a matter of concern for human health.
This study confirms that microplastics are no longer just an environmental problem but a serious medical risk. Previous reports from 2024 have also supported this, so reducing the use of plastic and controlling air pollution has now become essential to save lives. Dr. Faiz Ur Rehman, a highly experienced pathologist with over 34 years of experience, said that tiny plastic particles (microplastics and nanoplastics) have been found inside fatty arterial plaques and blood samples of patients. Patients with plastic particles in their arterial plaque show higher markers of inflammation and a significantly elevated risk of heart attack, stroke, or death, he added.
According to a study published in the European Heart Journal, “People who have suffered a serious heart attack had higher levels of micro and nano-plastics in their blood, compared to patients diagnosed with chronic ischemic heart disease and those who have normal blood vessels supplying the heart.” The study also revealed that people who smoke and people exposed to higher levels of air pollution had higher levels of micro and nano-plastics in their blood.
The researchers say the study adds to growing evidence that environmental pollution may affect cardiovascular health. In this connection, in Lahore, reports indicate that city is facing intense regulatory pressure, resulting in a complex struggle between environmental enforcers, citizens, and the plastic industry.
While the Punjab government official sources said that the government had launched an aggressive tech-driven and financial incentive mobile apps to curb pollution, structural policy cracks have left both the city and local businesses struggling to keep up. It is worth mentioning here that the Punjab government was enforcing a strict province-wide ban on single-use polythene bags under 75 microns as part of its “No to Plastic” and “Plastic-Free Punjab” campaigns led by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
