The role of noise as an environmental pollutant and its impact on health are being increasingly recognized. Beyond its effects on the auditory system, noise causes annoyance and disturbs sleep, and it impairs cognitive performance. Furthermore, evidence from epidemiologic studies demonstrates that environmental noise is associated with an increased incidence of arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Both observational and experimental studies indicate that in particular night-time noise can cause disruptions of sleep structure, vegetative arousals (e.g. increases of blood pressure and heart rate) and increases in stress hormone levels and oxidative stress, which in turn may result in endothelial dysfunction and arterial hypertension. This review focuses on the cardiovascular consequences of environmental noise exposure and stresses the importance of noise mitigation strategies for public health.

https://www.klein-winternheim.de/lokale-agenda/d43d5e550c96630fc05d6c66ec88f0f4_Elsner-eurheartj.ehu030.full.pdf

Cardiovascular effects of environmental noise exposure

Background:The biologic plausibility for noise stress-related cardiovascular responses is well established. Epidemiologic studies on the relationship between transportation noise and ischemic heart disease suggest a higher risk of myocardial infarction in subjects exposed to high levels of traffic n

Traffic Noise and Risk of Myocardial Infarction

Objective:Reviews have suggested that road noise exposure is associated with high blood pressure (hypertension). No reliable exposure–response relationship is as yet available. A meta-analysis was carried out in order to derive a quantitative exposure–response relationship between the exposure to ro

The quantitative relationship between road traffic noise and hypertension: a meta-analysis.

Environmental factors can act as facilitators of chronic non-communicable diseases. Ambient noise and air pollution collectively outrank all other environmental risk factors in importance, contributing to over 75% of the disease and disability burden associated with known environmental risk factors. In the first part of this review, we discussed the global burden and epidemiologic evidence supporting the importance of these novel risk factors as facilitators of cardiometabolic disease. In this part, we will discuss pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for noise and air pollution-mediated effects. Akin to traditional cardiovascular risk factors, a considerable body of evidence suggests that these environmental agents induce low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular dysfunction, and autonomic nervous system imbalance, thereby facilitating the development of diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Through their impact on traditional risk factors and via additional novel mechanisms, environmental risk factors may have much larger impact on cardiovascular events than currently appreciated. In the second part of this review, we discuss deficiencies and gaps in knowledge and opportunities for new research.

/pdf/environmental-stressors-and-cardio-metabolic-disease-part-ii-10na44bt54.pdf

Environmental stressors and cardio-metabolic disease: part II-mechanistic insights.

Anthropogenic noise threatens ecological systems, including the cultural and biodiversity resources in protected areas. Using continental-scale sound models, we found that anthropogenic noise doubled background sound levels in 63% of U.S. protected area units and caused a 10-fold or greater increase in 21%, surpassing levels known to interfere with human visitor experience and disrupt wildlife behavior, fitness, and community composition. Elevated noise was also found in critical habitats of endangered species, with 14% experiencing a 10-fold increase in sound levels. However, protected areas with more stringent regulations had less anthropogenic noise. Our analysis indicates that noise pollution in protected areas is closely linked with transportation, development, and extractive land use, providing insight into where mitigation efforts can be most effective.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/356/6337/531.full.pdf

Noise pollution is pervasive in U.S. protected areas.

Noise is a health risk. Recent findings suggest that leisure noise is a substantial danger especially to children, teenagers and young adults. Epidemiological studies of teenagers with no occupational noise exposure show an increasing number with a substantial and measurable irreversible inner ear damage. This is basically due to the wide spread exposition to very loud toys (pistols and squibs), crackers and exposure to electronically amplified music, e.g. from personal cassette players (PCP), at discos or concerts etc. Protection against irreversible ear damage by leisure noise has an important impact in preventive medical care. Therefore the general public must be informed that loud leisure activities may cause damage to the ear. In order to protect children, young people and adults, the legislature ought to set limits for sound levels in discos, concert halls and for music equipment and toys by establishing the necessary standards and regulations.

Ear damage caused by leisure noise.

Larm gefahrdet die Gesundheit. Heute mus festgestellt werden, das eine erhebliche Gefahrdung durch Freizeitlarm, insbesondere bei Kindern, Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen, besteht. Epidemiologische Untersuchungen an Jugendlichen, die noch keiner beruflichen Larmbelastung ausgesetzt waren, lassen steigende Zahlen mit nachweisbaren, irreversiblen Innenohrschaden erkennen. Als wesentliche Ursachen werden die weite Verbreitung sehr lauter Kinderspielzeuge (Pistolen, Knackfrosch), Feuerwerkskorper sowie die heute ubiquitare Verfugbarkeit elektroakustischer Verstarkung fur Musik, z.B. mittels tragbarer Abspielgerate, in Diskotheken oder in Musik-Grosveranstaltungen angesehen. Der Schutz vor einer medizinisch unheilbaren Gehorschadigung durch Freizeitlarm ist daher eine wichtige Aufgabe der Praventivmedizin. Durch Aufklarungsmasnahmen sollte auf die Gefahren der Gehorgefahrdung durch laute Freizeitbeschaftigungen aufmerksam gemacht werden. Zum Schutz von Kindern und Jugendlichen, aber auch von Erwachsenen ist der Gesetzgeber gefordert, Moglichkeiten von Schallpegelbegrenzungen fur Diskotheken, Konzerte und Musikabspielgerate zu prufen und entsprechende Richtwerte in Normen oder Richtlinien zu verankern.

G. Lehnert

Papers

Ear damage caused by leisure noise.

Gehörschäden durch Freizeitlärm