News
Road noise and stroke risk
Study - 27/01/2011
Danish researchers have just published a study on the correlation between long-term road noise exposure and stroke risk in the European Heart Journal. Road noise could indeed be the cause of 8% of all stroke cases and 19% of stroke cases among people more than 65 years old.
According to this study based on about 57,000 Danes, the stroke risk increases by 14% every 10 decibels of road noise. This correlation concerns people over 65 years old (a risk increase of 27% every 10 dB) but does not seem to exist among people under 65 years old. Moreover, beyond an average exposure of 60 decibels, the stroke risk increases even more, according to the authors of the study.
There are already epidemiological studies that show the correlation between long-term road noise exposure and heart attack risk, but this is the first study focused on stroke risk. Increase in blood pressure, in heart rate, in release of stress hormones, sleep disturbances, are known effects of noise exposure. Now, hypertension and stress are risk factors for stroke. A more fragmented sleep pattern among the elderly could also explain the higher correlation among people above 65 years old.
Read the study
There are already epidemiological studies that show the correlation between long-term road noise exposure and heart attack risk, but this is the first study focused on stroke risk. Increase in blood pressure, in heart rate, in release of stress hormones, sleep disturbances, are known effects of noise exposure. Now, hypertension and stress are risk factors for stroke. A more fragmented sleep pattern among the elderly could also explain the higher correlation among people above 65 years old.
Read the study
Regulations - 13/12/2011
The European Commission presented last December 9th a proposal...
