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I'm Matt Willis, Public Health Officer from Ban County, with an update for March 8th. Today, I'd like to summarize an important study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine that found a concerning link between microplastic exposure and the risk of heart attack and stroke. Microplastics, the tiny particles found in our water, soil, and air, have long been a cause for environmental concern. This is because most plastics don't totally decompose; the particles just get smaller and smaller. The human health impacts of microplastics are finally becoming clearer.
Here's how this study went: they looked at 257 patients who had already been scheduled to get surgery to have what are called plaques removed from arteries. For background, plaques composed of fats, calcium, and other substances narrow arteries and can block blood flow, which can cause heart attack or stroke. So, preventing plaque formation is critical to cardiovascular health. Researchers found tiny plastic particles in the plaques of 150, or 58%, of patients in the study. So, there's one concerning finding: microplastics from our environment find their way into the bloodstream and seem to get incorporated into plaques.
But the next part of the study was even more important. They followed these participants over about three years and found that those who had microplastics in their arteries had an almost five times higher risk of subsequent heart attack or stroke than those who didn't. This evidence suggests that minuscule particles in the bloodstream can stimulate an inflammatory response that contributes to the formation of arterial plaques. The researchers also found increased signs of inflammation in the group with microplastics in their arteries. While this is obviously concerning, it makes sense from a physiologic standpoint.
These findings are mirrored, in fact, in research conducted in 2020 here in Northern California that our own community contributed to. That study followed the 2017 wildfires and showed an increased risk of heart attack and stroke on days when air quality was poor. It turns out that the finest particles in wildfire smoke can cross from the lungs into the bloodstream and can cause inflammation, contributing to cardiovascular events. While there are obviously different kinds of exposures, the common threads are notable.
My goal as Public Health Officer here is to help us connect the dots between the environment around us—which is the environment we create in our policies and behaviors—and human health as directly as possible. What we're seeing here in both cases is that the sensitive tissue in our arteries seems to react to particles from our environment as irritants. This can set up an inflammatory response in the blood vessels that are most important to us—those vessels in our hearts and brains. These microscopic changes connect directly to macro-level environmental factors impacting all of us.
So, what can we do to protect ourselves? First, we should reduce the use of plastics. This research validates policy decisions already made in Marin. The county and all cities and towns have passed local ordinances banning single-use plastic utensils. The study I've summarized shows the foresight of these kinds of policies, which are often sometimes seen as overreach. We're learning that when we use plastics in our everyday lives, we may be trading convenience for our health and longevity. So, choose products with minimal packaging and be conscious of your plastic consumption to reduce microplastics in the environment.
Second, stay informed about air quality in your area, especially during wildfire season. Utilize air purifiers indoors, and if possible, wear an N95 mask when you can't limit outdoor activities on days when air quality is poor. Again, we need to see the through line between efforts to slow climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing wildfire risk, and protecting our health.
Lastly, and probably most importantly, we need to support and advocate for policies that aim to reduce plastic pollution and mitigate the impacts of climate change. As we navigate choices as consumers, citizens, and policymakers, we need to be mindful that our environmental impacts carry very direct health risks today and not just in a distant future. By taking care of the world around us, we are taking care of ourselves. Thank you for doing your part.