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REVIEW article

Front. Toxicol.
Sec. Environmental Toxicology
Volume 6 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1479292

Microplastics and nanoplastics in cardiovascular disease-A narrative review with worrying links

Provisionally accepted
  • 1 Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
  • 2 Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • 3 Clinical and Interventional Cardiology, University Hospital of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
  • 4 SC Microbiology and Virology, Azienda Ospedaliero University of Sassari, Italy, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Sardegna, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    With the widespread use of plastic products and the increase in waste, microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) have become an important issue in global environmental pollution. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have shown that MNPs may have negative impacts on human health. This review aimed to explore the association between MNPs and cardiovascular disease and provide an outlook for future research. Research has shown that there may be a link between MNPs exposure and cardiovascular disease. Laboratory studies have shown that animals exposed to MNPs often exhibit abnormalities in the cardiovascular system, such as increased blood pressure, vascular inflammation, and myocardial damage. Epidemiological surveys have also revealed that people exposed to MNPs are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and myocardial infarction. Although the specific impact mechanism is not fully understood, there are several possible pathways of action, including the effects of toxic substances on MNPs and interference with the endocrine system. In summary, MNPs exposure may have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, but further research is needed to confirm its specific mechanism and extent of impact to guide relevant public health and environmental policies.

    Keywords: Microplastics, nanoplastics, cardiovascular disease, Correlation, cardiotoxicity, Environmental Health

    Received: 13 Aug 2024; Accepted: 30 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 ZHENG, VIDILI, Casu, NAVARESE, Sechi and Chen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Youren Chen, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.