Heart Health
Loud traffic noise may raise blood pressure
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Long-term exposure to traffic noise may boost the risk of high blood pressure, according to a study published online March 22, 2023, by JACC: Advances.
The study included more than 240,000 people ages 40 to 69 in the United Kingdom who didn't have high blood pressure at the beginning of the study. After a median follow-up of just over eight years, researchers found that people living near road traffic noise were 13% more likely to have developed high blood pressure than those without such noise exposure. The risk rose in tandem with the noise "dose," and the association held true even when researchers adjusted for exposure to air pollution, which can also elevate blood pressure. Other contributing factors, such as smoking and alcohol use, were also taken into account.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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