University of New Mexico
Tiny, microscopic bits of plastic have been found almost everywhere researchers look — including throughout the human body.
Microplastics and their even tinier cousins, nanoplastics, are probably flowing through your blood and building up in your organs like the lungs and liver.
Now, a new study is connecting the dots on microplastics' mysterious correlation with heart attack and stroke risk.
"There is some microplastics in normal, healthy arteries," Dr. Ross Clark, a University of New Mexico medical researcher who led the study, told Business Insider before he presented his findings at the meeting of the American Heart Association in Baltimore on Tuesday.
"But the amount that's there when they become diseased — and become diseased with symptoms — is really, really different," Clark said.
Clark and his team measured microplastics and nanoplastics in the dangerous, fatty plaque that can build up in arteries, block blood flow, and cause strokes or heart attacks.
Compared to the walls of healthy plaque-free arteries, plaque buildup had 16 times more plastic — just in the people who didn't have symptoms. In people who had experienced stroke, mini-stroke, or vision loss, the plaque had 51 times more plastic.
"Wow and not good," Jaime Ross, a neuroscientist at the University of Rhode Island who was not involved in the study but has studied microplastics in mice, told BI after reading the results.
"It's very shocking to see 51 times higher," she said, adding that in her research, a signal that's just three times stronger is "very robust and striking."
What exactly the plastics are doing in there, if anything, remains a mystery. The new study offers some possible clues, though.
This research has not yet undergone the scrutiny of peer review, but Clark said he plans to submit it for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal later this year, after replicating some of their results.
Clark is a vascular surgeon, not a microplastics specialist. However, he got the idea for this study by talking with his colleague Matthew Campen, who recently discovered that human brains contain a spoon's worth of plastic.
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"We realized together that there really wasn't a lot of data on nanoplastics and microplastics in the vascular system, within blood vessels," Clark said.
Previous research had found that people with microplastics in their arterial plaque were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke or die.
To investigate why, Clark studied samples from 48 people's carotid arteries — the pair of superhighways in your neck that channel blood to your brain.
The difference in plastic quantities surprised him, but his team found another concerning trend, too. Cells in the plaque with lots of plastic showed different gene activity than those with low plastic.
In the high-plastic environment, one group of immune cells had switched off a gene that's associated with turning off inflammation. Clark's team also found genetic differences in a group of stem cells thought to help prevent heart attacks and strokes by reducing inflammation and stabilizing plaque.
"Could it be that microplastics are somehow altering their gene expression?" Clark said.
He added that there's "lots more research needed to fully establish that, but at least it gives us a hint as to where to look."
Ross, who specializes in the genetic mechanisms behind disease, agreed that more research is needed, but added that she thinks "these plastics are doing something with these plaques."
Tracking microplastics in the human body is a new scientific endeavor as of the last couple years. It's not perfect.
Clark's team heated the plaque samples to more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit to vaporize plastic polymers and break them down into smaller organic molecules, which can be identified and measured by their mass and other properties.
Unfortunately, the lipids in plaque can break down into chemicals that look very similar to polyethylene, the most common plastic found in everything from plastic bags to car parts.
"Because we know about this problem, we've taken a lot of steps to remove those lipids and confirm their removal, so that we're sure we're measuring polyethylene," Clark said.
Still, he added, "it's a big limitation, and it should be acknowledged that these types of methodologies are continuously improving."
Clark is trying to get funding to further study interactions between microplastics and immune cells in the walls of blood vessels. He hopes to expand this research beyond the carotid artery and also run some animal experiments to test for cause and effect.
"We just don't know," Clark said. "Almost all of what we know about microplastics in the human body, no matter where you look, can be summed up as: It's there, and we need to study further as to what it's doing, if anything."
Gregg Popovich reportedly experienced a medical emergency Tuesday night while at a San Antonio steakhouse.
The San Antonio Spurs coach had a "mild stroke" in November and hasn't coached since.
TMZ reports that Popovich left the restaurant in an ambulance, and officials say they received a call that an elderly person "fainted."
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Popovich reportedly did not suffer any life-threatening injuries or illnesses, and he was alert by the time he entered the ambulance.
The 76-year-old missed six games earlier this season before the team announced he had a stroke. He coached the team's first five games of the season.
The team said he was expected to make a full recovery. Mitch Johnson has been leading the Spurs in Popovich’s absence.
In December, six weeks after his stroke, Popovich had not ruled out a comeback, saying tongue-in-cheek, "No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process. They’ve quickly learned that I’m less coachable."
Popovich confirmed in late February he would not return for the rest of the season.
"Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job, and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding," he said in a statement at the time. "I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future."
Popovich is the NBA’s career leader with 1,401 victories and another 170 postseason wins while winning five NBA titles. He is in his 29th season, all with San Antonio. The team missed the playoffs this year.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
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Longtime San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is not returning this season.
Popovich addressed the team Thursday for the first time since having a stroke to update players on his recovery and inform them he is not returning this season, according to NBA writer Chris Haynes.
Popovich, 76, had a "mild stroke" in November and released a statement on his decision not to return Thursday.
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"I’ve decided not to return to the sidelines this season. Mitch Johnson and his staff have done a wonderful job, and the resolve and professionalism the players have shown, sticking together during a challenging season, has been outstanding," the statement said.
"I will continue to focus on my health with the hope that I can return to coaching in the future."
Popovich is the oldest head coach in NBA history. He coached at the age of 75 before turning 76 during his time away from the team.
'COURT OF GOLD' DIRECTOR DISCUSSES NBA PLAYERS' AFFINITY FOR USA DESPITE PRIOR ANTHEM PROTESTS
He is a five-time NBA champion, the NBA’s career leader with 1,401 wins and 170 career playoff wins and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
The Spurs are 24-33 this season and are 13th in the Western Conference.
Despite acquiring star point guard De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline, the Spurs' playoff hopes are slim in a strong Western Conference.
The Spurs would have a much better chance of making the playoffs with star center Victor Wembanyama, but the team recently ruled him out for the rest of the season with a blood clot in his shoulder.
The Spurs’ next game is on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
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San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich had a "mild stroke" in November, hasn't coached since, and he's reportedly not expected to return to the bench this season.
The 76-year-old missed six games earlier this season before the team announced he had the stroke. He coached the team's first five games of the season.
ESPN reported Saturday night that Popovich's future is uncertain amid his recovery.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"This has certainly been an unexpected six weeks for my family and me," Popovich said in December. "As we work together on my recovery, I want to take a moment to share that the outpouring of support we’ve received during this time has been truly overwhelming in the best possible way.
"While I wish I could get back to each one of you, for now, let me say that my family and I are forever grateful. We’re thankful for our wonderful community, the entire Spurs organization and our family and friends."
At the time, Popvich had not ruled out a comeback, saying tongue-in-cheek, "No one is more excited to see me return to the bench than the talented individuals who have been leading my rehabilitation process. They’ve quickly learned that I’m less coachable."
The team said he was expected to make a full recovery. Mitch Johnson has been leading the Spurs in Popovich’s absence.
The news comes after it was recently revealed Victor Wembanyama would miss the remainder of the season with a blood clot in his shoulder.
Popovich is the NBA’s career leader with 1,401 victories and another 170 postseason wins while winning five NBA titles. He is in his 29th season, all with San Antonio.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos and Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Last year, a study highlighted that your doctor's office might be taking your blood pressure wrong. The current best practice is to take seated blood pressure readings with a detailed protocol: Patients must not eat, drink, or exercise for 30 minutes prior; they must have an empty bladder and sit calmly for five minutes prior to the first reading; they must sit with their feet uncrossed and flat on the floor; their back should be supported; and—a big one that's often overlooked—they must keep the arm to be measured resting on a flat surface at the height of their heart, not higher or lower.
While the setup is often different from what happens in a bustling medical office, a new study blows away quibbles over protocol and suggests that even when done perfectly, the method is second-rate. We shouldn't be sitting at all when we take our blood pressure—we should be lying down.
According to the study, published in JAMA Cardiology and led by researchers at Harvard, blood pressure readings measured while lying down were significantly better at indicating risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart failure, and death than were seated blood pressure readings alone.
© Getty | PhotoAlto/Michele Constantini
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Jamie Foxx was hospitalized with a mysterious illness last April. In the actor's Netflix comedy special that airs on December 10, he said he had a stroke and blacked out for 20 days.
In April 2023, Corinne Foxx, Foxx's daughter, shared a statement from her family that said he had been taken to a hospital in Atlanta due to a "medical complication."
In the following weeks and months, Foxx's family and his celebrity friends didn't reveal what his health issue was, leading to fans sharing theories that he had been cloned or had died.
Foxx joked about the theories in his new Netflix special, "Jamie Foxx: What Happened Was…," before telling the audience that he had a stroke caused by a brain bleed.
A stroke is a life-threatening condition that occurs when a part of the brain doesn't have enough blood flow.
Foxx told the audience that in the year following the stroke: "I lost everything, but the only thing I could hold onto was my sense of humor.
"If I could stay funny, I could stay alive."
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"We wanted to share that my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday," Corinne Foxx shared on her Instagram account on behalf of the Foxx family.
"Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery. We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers," the statement continued. "The family asks for privacy during this time."
According to CNN, the actor was in Atlanta filming his new Netflix movie, "Back in Action," with Cameron Diaz and Glenn Close when he was taken to hospital.
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According to both CNN and People, the "Day Shift" actor was still receiving medical care at the Georgia medical facility.
"They are running tests and still trying to figure out what exactly happened," a source told CNN at the time.
On the same date, People also reported that Foxx's costar and close friend Diaz made her return to the set of "Back in Action," working with a body double for Foxx.
Gregg DeGuire/WireImage/Getty Images, Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Morgan wished Foxx well while attending Lawrence's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on April 20, 2023.
"I love Jamie. Jamie's a good friend of mine ... my prayers go up for Jamie," Morgan told Entertainment Tonight.
"He's strong, he's a fighter, he's gonna come out of it and he's good. He's gonna be stronger and better than ever," Morgan said.
Referring to his 2014 accident which left him with life-threatening injuries, Morgan added, "I've been there. I was on the other side in a coma for 10 days, so I know about [being hospitalized]."
Meanwhile, Lawrence told Extra, "I hear he's doing better… My prayers go out for him every night and just wishing the best for him, one of the best that we got in Hollywood."
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Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Cannon said that he has been saying "words of affirmation for my big brother" and teased the news that he would be standing in for Foxx as guest host on the upcoming season of game show "Beat Shazam."
Cannon said, "I know he's doing so much better because I'm actually about to do something special for him, and doing him a favor. I can't really say what it is, but it'll be out there soon."
Speaking about Foxx's health, he added, "He's awake. They say he's alert, so, we love it. That's family right there."
Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
"Appreciate all the love!!! Feeling blessed," he wrote, followed by a praying hands emoji, red heart emoji, and fox emoji.
Many of his friends extended their well wishes to him in the comments.
Jeremy Renner wrote: "Sending you strength and love," while Kate Beckinsale added: "Love you sir massive hugs king xxxx"
Ansel Elgort, who appeared in "Baby Driver" with Foxx, wrote: "You are the greatest Jamie, please make a speedy recovery. You are a blessing to this world, we need you in it."
Foxx also gave a shout-out to Nick Cannon for filling in on his hosting duties for the upcoming season of "Beat Shazam" in an Instagram Story.
"Appreciate ya my boy @nickcannon. See u all soon," he wrote over the Fox show's statement about the change of lineup for the new season, which returned to screens on May 23.
Corrine Foxx (@corrinefoxx)/Instagram
Just over a month after news of his hospitalization, Foxx's daughter announced that the actor was out of the hospital after unsubstantiated reports that the family was "preparing for the worst" began circulating online.
According to her Instagram Story, her father was discharged several weeks ago.
"Update from family: Sad to see how the media runs wild," she wrote.
"My Dad has been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating. In fact, he was playing pickleball yesterday! Thanks for everyone's prayers and support! We have an exciting work announcement coming next week too!"
Parrish Lewis/Netflix
"He finally picked up the phone. Thank you, bro," Boyega told People at the premiere of the movie. "He's doing well. And then, you know, we just giving him the privacy, and we can't wait for his return."
"I gave him the well wishes directly," Boyega added. "I gave him all the well wishes. So I'm just gonna be waiting until he comes back out here. So take your time, Jamie. We love you, bro."
"They Cloned Tyrone" coproducer Datari Turner shared similar comments about Foxx.
"He's in really, really good shape and spirits.," Turner said. "And he'll be back on the screen. He'll be back to work very soon."
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"First of all, I want to say thank you to everybody that's prayed, man, and sent me messages. I cannot even begin to tell you how far it took me and how it brought me back," Foxx said in a video posted on Instagram. "I went through something that I thought I would never ever go through."
Foxx said that he was aware that people wanted updates, but he didn't want fans to see him during his medical complication.
"I didn't want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was going to make it through," he said. "And to be honest with you, my sister, Deidra Dixon, and my daughter, Corinne Marie, saved my life. So to them, to God, to a lot of great medical people, I'm able to leave you this video."
Foxx said that his family protected him and kept his situation under wraps, which led to speculation and false rumors.
"I went to hell and back. And my road to recovery had some potholes as well," he said. "But I'm coming back and I'm able to work. So I want to thank the people who let me work. I just want to say that I love everybody and I love all the love that I got."
Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Foxx was presented with the Vanguard Award for his performance in the 2023 film "The Burial," which was inspired by true events.
The actor began his speech by telling the audience that he couldn't walk six months prior.
"I wouldn't wish what I went through on my worst enemy, because it's tough," he said.
Since his experience, Foxx said that he has a "new respect" for life and his art.
"I watched so many movies and listened to so many songs trying to have the time go by," Foxx said. "Don't give up on your art, man, don't give up."
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Foxx and his producing partner Datari Turner accepted the award on behalf of Foxxhole Productions. The actor's speech was filled with jokes and heartfelt sentiments reflecting on his career. He also referenced his health situation.
"Everybody wants to know what happened, and I'm going to tell you what happened. But I've gotta do it in my way," Foxx said. "I'm gonna do it in a funny way. We're gonna be on the stage. We're gonna get back to the standup sort of roots."
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
In the Netflix special, Foxx said he blacked out for 20 days in April 2023 after getting a bad headache.
Foxx said he was later told what happened during those 20 days, though he didn't specify who told him.
Foxx said he was initially taken to a doctor who gave him a cortisone shot and sent him home, then his sister, Dixon, drove him to Piedmondt hospital in Atlanta.
The doctor, whom he called doctor Schuette, told Dixon that Foxx had a stroke and needed to be operated on right away.
"My sister knelt down outside the operating room and prayed the whole time," Foxx said.
Foxx said that he felt "peaceful" when he was unconscious.
"I saw the tunnel. I didn't see the light." Foxx said. "It was hot in that tunnel. Shit, am I going to the wrong place in this motherfucker?"
He said the doctor later told Dixon that they couldn't find where he was bleeding in his brain but he may be able to make a full recovery.
"It's going to be the worst year of his life," Foxx said the doctor told his sister.
During the first 15 days of recovery, the doctors thought he was going to die because his vitals were too high and he needed to be kept calm, he said.
Foxx said his youngest daughter, Anelise Bishop, snuck into his hospital with her guitar and started playing music, which helped Foxx's vitals go down.
"It was God in that guitar," Foxx said. "That's my spiritual defibrillator."
Later on during the special, Foxx said he woke up on May 4, 2023 in a wheelchair and refused to believe he had a stroke.
"Jamie Foxx don't get strokes," Foxx recalled. "That's old man shit."
While strokes are more common in older people, a study published by the CDC earlier this year found that strokes in people under 65 have increased by 15% in the US from 2011-2013 to 2020 - 2022.
Foxx said it took time for him to come to terms with his condition and work on getting better.
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Jamie Foxx said that he had a stroke at the age of 55 last year, amid a trend of more younger adults experiencing the condition.
Strokes, which occur when a part of the brain doesn't have enough blood flow, are life-threatening and most common in older people. But strokes in people under 65 increased by around 15% in the US from 2011 - 2013 to 2020 - 2022, a CDC study, published May 23, found. This corresponds with a rise in cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity among younger, working-age adults, it said.
If brain cells go too long without oxygen, they die, which can lead to permanent damage and the loss of certain abilities like speech or sight, according to The Cleveland Clinic. That's why acting fast and educating the public about stroke risk factors are crucial, the study said.
The fifth leading cause of death in the US in 2021, stroke also cost the country about $56.2 billion between 2019 and 2020, according to the CDC.
In his Netflix comedy special "What Had Happened Was," which premieres Tuesday, Foxx, now 56, said he was hospitalized after complaining of a bad headache and passing out while on set. He said he was unconscious for weeks and couldn't remember 20 days during that period. The stroke was caused by a brain bleed, he said.
It's unclear what contributed to Foxx experiencing a stroke.
Researchers are working to uncover what's behind the uptick in strokes among younger adults, but possible factors could include pollution and stress, Dr. Neshika Samarasekera, a clinical neurologist, researcher, and senior clinical lecturer at the charity Stroke Association, told Business Insider.
While stroke can affect anyone at any age, there are things you can do to lower the risk, she said.
"Firstly, if you're smoking, stop," Samarasekera said.
Smokers are around three times more likely to have a stroke than non-smokers, and twice as likely to die from a stroke, according to the Stroke Association. This is because tobacco smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals that, when inhaled, enter the bloodstream and damage cells all around the body.
Smoking can reduce oxygen levels in the blood, increase blood pressure, trigger atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat, raise levels of 'bad' cholesterol, and raise the risk of a blood clot, according to the charity. These are all known stroke risk factors.
Some risk factors, such as age and genetic disposition, are out of our control so it's important that we try to reduce the ones we can control, Samarasekera said.
Eating a healthy diet can help reduce stroke by keeping risk factors under control.
Samarasekera recommended eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, with a focus on colorful vegetables such as broccoli and carrots, which are packed with antioxidants.
There's evidence to suggest that inflammation plays a role in causing stroke, and "antioxidants, put simply, help to mop up that inflammation," she said. They are also nutrient-dense and contain dietary fiber.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and foods with lots of added sugar and salt.
Samarasekera said that ideally, everyone should aim to do 30 minutes of moderate exercise that gets their heart rate up each day.
"Something that does visibly increase your heart rate, be that brisk walking, be that running," she said.
Aim to up your heart rate in a "graded way," she said: "you don't want people going from zero to really pushing themselves."
Doing 30 minutes of exercise five times a week is thought to reduce the risk of stroke by 25%, according to the World Stroke Organization.
This is because it plays an important role in reducing several stroke risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, and cholesterol.
The AHA recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week.
