Traffic noise increases risk of stroke

Almaty. January 27. Kazakhstan Today - A new study has claimed that traffic noise may uncrease the risk of stroke, the agency reports.

Car honks, sirens and other traffic noises may increase the risk of stroke, particularly for older individuals, according to a new study, MyHealthNewsDaily reports.

The study, which looked at the association between road traffic noise and stroke in more than 51,000 Danish people, found that for every 10-decibel increase in noise level, the risk of stroke increased by 14 percent. In those over 65, the risk of stroke increased 27 percent.

The increase in risk was most significant for noises louder than 60 decibels, about the loudness of normal conversations, the researchers said. (The decibel (dB) scale is logarithmic, so a 60-decibel noise is 10 times louder than a 50-decibel noise.)

The results held even after the researchers took into account other factors that might influence stroke risk, including age, gender, smoking status, physical activity, intake of vegetables, exposure to noise from railways and airports and exposure to air pollution.

The study highlights the need to reduce the public's exposure to traffic noise, said study researcher Mette S?rensen, of the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen.

About 35 percent of the participants were exposed to traffic noise levels above 35 decibels. The noise level was estimated to range from about 40 to 80 decibels.

Over the course of the study, 1,881 participants suffered a stroke.

The researchers estimated that traffic noise could account for 8 percent of all stroke cases in the population, and 19 percent of cases in those aged 65 years and older, Sorensen said.

Exposure to noise is thought to increase blood pressure and cause changes in levels of stress hormones, which may contribute to the increased risk of stroke. In addition, exposure to traffic noise may also lead to sleep disturbances, which can contribute to stroke risk, Sorensen told MyHealthNewsDaily.

Older people are more susceptible to sleep disturbances, which could explain why the link was strongest for those 65 and over, Soensen said.

This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.