Constant Exposure to Noise May Enhance Risk of Heart Attack

Heart's are getting sensitive to noise, and do not like it much! According to a new study, those living or working in noisy surroundings may face an increased risk of suffering a heart attack.

Researchers in Germany revealed that the chances of urban middle-aged adults, living on high-traffic roads and amidst a lot of din, stood a 46 percent chance of suffering heart attack, than those who lived in tranquil surroundings. All the same, if work environment reverberated with high noise levels, then chances of a heart attack were a third more than working in quieter environs.

According to lead researcher Dr. Stefan N. Willich of Charite University Medical Center in Berlin, constantly dealing with noise exposed people to regular stress that has an effect on the heart causing an upswing in blood pressure and heart rate.

This study, published in the European Heart Journal has taken into consideration levels of sound at workplaces, and participants' response to noise.

The study included 4,115 men and women, in their 50s, who had undergone treatment after a heart attack. A control group of their peers, who did not have a history of heart attack, was used for the comparative study. It was observed that, considering all heart risk factors - smoking, obesity and family history of heart attack, those who were exposed to greater noise levels, certainly had a high heart attack risk.

It is still unclear if the use of protective gear for the ears would have any bearing on the heart attack risks. The current findings are an indicator that further studies is required to be conducted on this subject.