Transport noise increases the risk of heart attacks

Living in areas with high levels of transport noise increases the risk of serious adverse cardiac eventsas revealed by a study carried out by a research team led by the member of the Methodist Hospital from the American city of Houstonhe Dr. Jad Ardakani.

According to Europa Press, this type of noise pollution “often overlookedbut it may represent a modifiable exposure with important public health implications“, has revealed Ardakaniwho added that the “findings“obtained”suggest that environmental noise should be considered alongside more traditional cardiovascular risk factors“.

This is how he expressed it during the recent celebration in New Orleans of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Annual Scientific Sessionevent in which he has declared that he is “fundamental“analyze the individual noise exposure “and look for ways to reduce it“.

Researchers are committed to implementing strategies to decrease this exposure to road, rail and air trafficwhich could be a new goal for the urban planning and the improved cardiovascular health of the communities. Previous studies have shown that it can trigger a stress response in the body that, over time, leads negative consequences for health.

In this sense, a recent work published in the specialized magazine JACC: Advances exposes that the prolonged exposure to road traffic noise is associated with a increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality from all causes. For its part, the one led by Ardakani has used one of the largest and most diverse cohorts in the United States to date.

Thus, we have analyzed the medical records of more than 1.2 million adult patients in the area of Houston between 2016 and 2023. Furthermore, it has been used National Transportation Noise Mapproduced by Department of Transportation of this country, to evaluate the exposure by domicile.

In this way, the noise exposure at home below 45 decibels was classified as lowwhile between this figure and 54 was classified as moderate and since 55 was labeled as high. Although the noise at 55 decibels —approximately the sound level of a normal conversation either background music— does not damage hearing, may cause other physiological impacts and disturb sleepespecially if it is constant or is outside the person’s control.

Road, rail and aviation traffic

With all this, it has been revealed that people who live in areas with a lot of transport noise they have a 17 percent more likely of die from any causesuffer a heart attack or a strokeor need a coronary revascularization.

He intense road traffic noise is associated with a 17 percent higher risk; the intense noise combination of this and the aviationwith one a top 16 percent; and that of railwaywith one a 10 percent older.

Furthermore, it has been observed that, although the traffic noise shows the strongest overall association with the risk of adverse cardiovascular eventshe incremental risk presents a different pattern. So, each increase of 10 decibels in it railway noise is associated with a 14 percent increase in risk, compared to a 3 percent increase in the road traffic.

“Railway noise is particular because it is loud and intermittent“he assured Ardakaniwho added that “These sudden noises, especially at night, can be harmful to the bodyalthough people perceive them as background noise“.”Vibration associated with railway noise could also have biological effects that are not observed with the road noise“, he concluded.