Beijing, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Microplastics that enter the human body can accumulate in arteries and may increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and other diseases, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in the United States.

Microplastics usually refer to plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters in size, which can enter the body through food and even breathing. The new study, led by researchers at the University of Campania in Italy, looked at 257 people with atherosclerotic plaques in their carotid arteries. These plaques can restrict blood flow to the brain and increase the risk of stroke. The study participants were 72 years old on average, and the researchers followed them for an average of 34 months.

The results showed that 58 percent of the study participants had detectable traces of polyethylene, the most common plastic, in their carotid plaque. In addition, 12 percent of subjects had detectable traces of polyvinyl chloride, another common plastic, in their carotid plaques.

The study found that 20 percent of those who had traces of plastic detected in their plaques suffered a stroke, heart attack or died during the time the study was conducted. Among those who had no traces of plastic detected in their plaques, the rate was 7.5 percent. The results of the statistical analysis showed that people with microplastics or smaller nanoplastics in their plaque had a multifold higher risk of heart attack, stroke or death than those with no detectable plastic in their carotid plaques.

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