Symptoms of a stroke vary depending on which part of the brain is affected, but warning signs include sudden numbness and confusion. Environmental factors, such as diet, are understood to be the main drivers of disease. However, researchers have highlighted a host of other risk factors in recent years. Traffic noise can predispose people to an attack by increasing blood pressure.
A recent study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health found that nearly 60 million adults suffer from unhealthy levels of traffic noise.
The authors note: “Our results provide for the first time a panorama of European cities and a better understanding of why vehicle-generated noise is the environmental case. second largest cause of adverse health consequences in Western Europe.
“Even so, we believe the true health impact of traffic noise is much greater, as the lack of city-level data limits the health impacts we can assess. .”
Previous research has linked environmental noise to a range of adverse health effects, including sleep disturbances, irritability, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, adverse birth outcomes, cognitive impairment, and more. , mental health and poor health.
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However, long-term exposure can increase the risk of other deadly diseases such as stroke.
An early 2011 study examining the link between road traffic noise and stroke found that for every 10 decibels of noise increase, the overall risk of stroke increased by 14%, based on data collected from more than 10 million people. 51,000 people.
Researchers have previously speculated that the increased risk of stroke due to a noisy population could be due to increased blood pressure, which is a precursor to stroke risk.
High blood pressure is known to damage the inner lining of blood vessels, causing arteries to narrow over time.
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“About 87 percent of strokes are caused by narrowed or blocked blood vessels in the brain that cut off blood flow to brain cells,” explains the American Stroke Association.
In previous research, scientists have shown that blood pressure increases when organs and systems in the body are altered by noise.
This rise in blood pressure is specifically caused by vasoconstriction — or constriction of blood vessels.
A 2016 study published in the European Heart Journal, found that people who live on noisy streets, where the average night-time noise level is 50 decibels, has a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. 6% more than those who live on quieter streets.
The finding was then echoed in a 2021 study published in the journal Environmental Health, where researchers found that long-term vehicle exposure was positively associated with health risks. stroke in general.
However, the findings of the second study changed after the researchers adjusted for air pollution.
The evidence is still mixed, as studies conducted in the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany showed no association between road traffic noise and stroke rates.
And due to the epidemiological nature of the aforementioned studies, no causal effects could be confirmed.
Source: | This article first appeared on Express.co.uk
