It can be irritating to live in a noisy environment, but it can also cause problems for your health. According to a study presented to the American College of Cardiology’s71, people living in noisy areas were more likely than those who lived in quieter areas to suffer a cardiac arrest.stAnnual Scientific Session.
People often refer to pollution as particles in the air and water. There are many other types of pollution, including noise pollution.
Abel E. Moreyra MD is a professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He is also the study’s principal author.
The study analyzed heart attacks rates among nearly 16,000 New Jersey residents who were hospitalized for heart attack in 2018. It used data from the MIDAS database. This database is a repository of all cardiovascular hospitalizations in New Jersey. The data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics was used to calculate the average daily home transportation noise.
The patients were divided into two groups: those exposed to high levels of noise from transportation (an average of 65 decibels per day) and those who are less exposed (an average daily of less than 50 decibels). A noise level of 65 decibels corresponds to loud conversation or laughter. Moreyra stated that noise levels were averaged over the day so that many people might have experienced periods with relative quiet that were interrupted occasionally by louder sounds like trains, trucks, or aircraft passing by.
According to the overall results, 5% of heart attacks hospitalizations were due to high levels of state noise pollution. The heart attack rate in areas with high levels of noise pollution was 72% higher than in areas with lower levels. These areas had 3,336 heart attacks for every 100,000 people, while those in quieter areas experienced 1,938 heart attacks for every 100,000 people. The researchers determined that high levels of noise exposure was responsible for approximately 1 in 20 heart attacks in the state based on the relative rates of heart attacks in different locations.
This study is the first in America to look at noise and heart disease. However, the findings also align with many European studies. New Jersey has dense urban areas that are close to major airports, trains and roads. Moreyra said that similar infrastructure and noise pollution would likely be seen in other urban areas.
Moreyra stated that cardiologists are used to considering traditional risk factors like smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and hypertension. “This study and others suggest we should think about noise pollution and air pollution as potential risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.”
Although the study did not examine the biological mechanisms of the association, Moreyra stated that noise can cause stress, sleep disturbances, and emotional distress, which could have an impact on cardiovascular health. Chronic stress can cause hormonal changes and blood vessel changes that are linked to heart disease.
Living near roads and other transportation infrastructure can also increase your exposure to vehicle exhaust and other forms particulate pollution. Previous studies have linked particulate emissions to cardiovascular damage and higher rates of heart disease.
Moreyra stated that noise and air pollution go hand in hand. “The question is how much of this effect can be attributed to noise and how much to particle pollution.”
Researchers are starting to unravel these factors, but Moreyra stated that further research is required to understand the effects of noise pollution upon heart health.
Researchers did not attempt to account demographic, socioeconomic, or other health risk factors in the analysis. They suggest that further research could help distinguish the effects of noise pollution from other factors. Moreyra stated that the study didn’t account for noise exposure at work, or in other locations. The team will next examine the data to determine which sources of noise from transportation may have the greatest impact on health.
Moreyra said that there are many policy options that can help reduce the exposure to noise from transport, even in urban areas. Some examples include better enforcement and infrastructure to block road noise, rules regarding air traffic, noise insulation for buildings, and low-noise tires.
Moreyra will present the study “The Impact on Transportation Noise on Rates of Myocardial Ifarction in New Jersey”, virtually on Saturday April 2, at 8:30 AM. ET / 12:30 UTC.
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