By Amber Roman
Apr 27, 2024, 12:00 PM EDT
An international team of noise experts from the Copenhagen Cancer Institute (Denmark), the Swiss Institute of Tropical and Public Health (Swiss TPH), the Perelman School of Medicine at Philadelphia University (USA) and the Department of Cardiology of the Medical University of Mainz has carried out a revealing epidemiological study that highlights the close relationship between transport noise and cardiovascular diseases.
According to their analysis, traffic noise, including sounds from roads, railways and airplanes, poses a significant risk to cardiovascular health. Researchers have observed an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as the development of cardiometabolic diseases such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, stroke and diabetes, associated with exposure to traffic noise.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in Western Europe More than 1.6 million years of healthy life are lost each year due to traffic-related noise. Particularly is the effect of nighttime traffic noise, which interrupts sleep and increases stress levels, contributing to oxidative stress in the vascular and cerebral system.
These effects, in turn, can trigger vascular disorders, inflammation and high blood pressure, thus increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The comprehensive review by the international team of researchers not only summarizes the epidemiological research on these effects, but also highlights mechanistic findings from recent clinical and experimental studies. Additionally, researchers propose new risk markers to address the cardiovascular effects of noise in the general population.
Increases the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases
A recent analysis embedded in the review article reveals that for every 10 dBA increase in traffic noise, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases significantly by 3.2%. The researchers also detail the possible effects of noise on genetic networks, epigenetic pathways, circadian rhythm, neuronal-cardiovascular signaling, oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolism.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Münzel, lead author of the study and professor at the University Medical Center Mainz, emphasizes the importance of addressing the problem of traffic noise from a public health perspective. He highlights the need for noise control and regulation efforts, especially at a time when an increasing proportion of the population is exposed to harmful traffic noise, even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ultimately, the researchers call for action for traffic noise to be officially recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. They highlight the importance of implementing policies and regulations that protect the population from the negative impact of noise on cardiovascular health.as well as the need for noise protection strategies and greater public awareness of this growing problem.
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