Top in cardiology: Microplastics in carotid plaque; FDA OKs Wegovy to prevent CV events

The risk for heart attack, stroke or all-cause death rose fourfold among patients with carotid atheromas containing microplastics or nanoplastics, compared with patients without plastics in their arteries, according to a recent study.

Additionally, researchers found polyethylene in the atheromas of more than half of the 304 patients in the study and polyvinyl chloride in 12.1% of patients.

Healio | Cardiology Today Editorial Board Member Larry B. Goldstein, MD, FAAN, FANA, FAHA, who was uninvolved in the research, said it was “an important initial study showing an association between [microplastics and/or nanoplastics (MNPs)] and cardiovascular outcomes,” but “it is unclear what we can do to prevent events related to MNPs,” which are “fairly ubiquitous.”

It was the top story in cardiology last week.

In another top story, the FDA approved an expanded label for Wegovy 2.4 mg (semaglutide, Novo Nordisk) for the prevention of cardiovascular events in patients with overweight and obesity. The FDA evaluated the results of the SELECT trial in making its decision, which found that 6.5% of patients taking semaglutide in the trial experienced major cardiovascular events compared with 8% of patients taking placebo.

Read these and more top stories in cardiology below:

Tiny plastics in carotid plaque tied to elevated risk for heart attack, stroke, death

Among patients with asymptomatic carotid artery disease who had carotid endarterectomy, those whose atheromas contained microplastics and/or nanoplastics had worse outcomes than those whose atheromas did not, researchers reported. Read more.

Semaglutide 2.4 mg approved to prevent CV events in patients with overweight, obesity

Novo Nordisk and the FDA announced approval of a new indication for semaglutide 2.4 mg for reduction of risk for major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with overweight or obesity and established CVD. Read more.

Sugary drink consumption may predict risk for abnormal heart rhythm

Adults who drank at least 2 L per week of sugar- or artificially sweetened beverages per week were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation during nearly 10 years of follow-up, independent of other traditional CV risk factors, data show. Read more.

Many American Indian teens, young adults have dyslipidemia, elevated heart disease risk

In a cohort of American Indian individuals, more than 70% of young adults and more than 50% of adolescents had dyslipidemia, and some had subclinical or clinical heart disease, according to new data from the Strong Heart Study. Read more.

FDA approves cardiac ultrasound enhancing agent for pediatric patients

Lantheus Holdings announced the FDA has approved the supplemental new drug application for its perflutren lipid microsphere injection to improve ultrasound imaging in pediatric patients with suboptimal echocardiograms. Read more.