Chemicals found in plastics have been linked to a multitude of health risks — and now heart disease mortality has been added to the list.
In an analysis of population surveys, researchers at NYU Langone Health discovered that daily exposure to chemicals in common household items could have been a factor in more than 356,000 heart disease deaths in 2018 alone.
That number equates to more than 13% of heart disease-related deaths worldwide for people between 55 and 64 years of age.
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The study, which was published in the journal Lancet eBioMedicine on April 29, explored the risks of chemicals called phthalates, which are found in cosmetics, detergents, solvents, plastic pipes, bug repellents and other products, according to an NYU press release.
In this research, the focus was a specific type of phthalate called di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which is used to make softer, more flexible plastics like food containers and medical equipment, the release stated.
DEHP has been linked to inflammation in the arteries of the heart, making people more susceptible to heart attack or stroke.
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To determine levels of DEHP exposure, the researchers analyzed dozens of population surveys spanning 200 countries and territories.
Mortality data was obtained from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a research group in the U.S. that collects medical information worldwide to identify trends in public health.
"By highlighting the connection between phthalates and a leading cause of death across the world, our findings add to the vast body of evidence that these chemicals present a tremendous danger to human health," said study lead author Sara Hyman, BS, an associate research scientist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in the release.
The regions with the highest heart disease death tolls linked to phthalates include the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific.
"Our results underscore the urgent need for global regulations to reduce exposure to these toxins, especially in areas most affected by rapid industrialization and plastic consumption," said senior study author Dr. Trasande, the Jim G. Hendrick, MD, professor of pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in the release.
Inflammation is a known cause of coronary artery disease, according to Dr. Jasdeep Dalawari, an Illinois-based interventional cardiologist and regional chief medical officer at VitalSolution, an Ingenovis Health company.
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"Our bodies release chemicals and hormones that give directions to the artery to open, close or change diameter," Dalawari, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
"This study suggests that microplastics may interfere with those internal signals, so the artery doesn’t perform the way it should."
"Microplastics are widely present in a variety of products we use every day, and it’s crucial to understand their long-term effects on human health," he added.
Renato Apolito, M.D., medical director of cardiac catheterization at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, agreed that manmade plastic products have long been known and suspected to be health risks.
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"These often use highly engineered chemicals where the goal is not quality and safety, but instead cost-effectiveness and convenience," Apolito, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
The doctor shared that he stopped using non-stick pans long ago, and mostly uses glass storage and avoids eating and drinking from plastic containers.
Apolito noted, however, that the "longitudinal and observational" nature of the study comes with limitations.
"It is generally used to see if there's any correlation between exposure and health risk, which is then used to study the topic further in a more controlled fashion," Apolito, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
"It cannot control for unidentified variations in lifestyles among the people followed."
Senior author Trasande also pointed out the potential limitations.
The analysis does not establish that DEHP caused heart disease and that higher death risks did not take into account other types of phthalates, he stated.
The study also did not include death rates in other age groups, the doctor pointed out, which means the overall death toll is "likely much higher."
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to investigate how reducing phthalate exposure affects mortality rates.
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They will also measure the chemical’s potential role in other health concerns.
"These studies are typically what are used to study the next step of elucidating cause and effect," Apolito said. "This can lead to the FDA and other policymakers banning or outlawing the use of such products."
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Dalawari suggested that the researchers may want to look at other contributing factors, including air pollution, which has proven to be a "novel non-traditional risk factor" for coronary disease.
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"The intersection of pollution, regulation and genetic predisposition provides a complex landscape, and further research is necessary to unravel these connections, paving the way for more informed public health policies and preventive measures," he added.
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