Occupational noise linked heart disease risk

Analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004 (NHANES) suggests that chronic exposure to persistent noise may increase risk of serious coronary heart disease, particularly in young male smokers.

Early studies have suggested that exposure to occuaptional noise may boost the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, but the findings were not consistent.

For the study, Dr Wenqi Gan at University of British Columbia in Vancouver Canada and colleagues analysed data from 6307 participants at an average age of 40 from NHANES from 1999 through 2004. 

The researchers found those who were exposed to occupational noise were 2 to 3 times as likely to aquire angina pectoris, myocarial infarciton or heart attack, coronary heart disease, and isolated diastolic hypertension, as those who were not.

After adjustment for variable factors, the risk for angina pectoris, coronary heart disease and isolated iadstolic hypertension in participants exposed to noise was still 2.91, 204 and 2.23 times higher than that in those who were not exposed to such occupational noise.

The associaiton of noise exposure with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease was particularly signifcant among male smokers ages over 50.

"This study suggests that excess noise exposure in the workplace is an important occupational health issue and deserves special attention," the researchers concluded. 

They suspected occupational noise may act as a "potent external stressor". Stress has been known to affect the risk of heart disease.

The study did not include those who were exposed to occupatinal noise in the past, but currently were not.

The findings were published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Jimmy Downs