LONDON, Feb 14, 2008 (UPI via COMTEX) -- British and European researchers say
noise pollution airplanes and traffic can increase blood pressure, even if it
doesn't wake them.
Scientists at Imperial College London and other European institutions monitored
140 sleeping volunteers in their homes near London's Heathrow and three other
major European airports. The researchers found volunteers' blood pressure
increased noticeably after they experienced a noise louder than 35 decibels,
such as an airplane flying overhead, traffic passing outside or a partner
snoring, Imperial College said Wednesday in a news release.
Noise from aircraft caused an average increase in systolic blood pressure of 6.2
mmHg and an average increase in diastolic blood pressure of 7.4 mmHg. The report
said the decibel level was the key factor in determining the effect each noise
event had on the volunteers' blood pressure.
The findings were published in the European Heart Journal.
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