Heart disease death risk raised by common household products, study finds

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.

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. 

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.

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.

"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."

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. 

"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 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. 

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.