Air and noise pollution increases the risk of high blood pressure

Long-term exposure to urban air pollution and noise pollution, especially traffic, increases the risk of high blood pressure, which can lead to seizures. blood brain and stroke.

This is the result of scientific research published in the European Heart magazine on October 24.

To conduct the study, a team of 33 experts - led by Professor Barbara Hoffmann of Heinrich-Heine University in Duesseldorf, Germany - has followed more than 41,000 people in 5 countries, including Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Circuit, German and Spanish for 5-9 years.

Also during this period, researchers examined air quality every year in each country every 2 weeks from 2008-2011.

Chinese people wear masks to avoid the harmful effects of smog in Beijing, China on October 14.

Scientists have found that the more polluted areas, especially dust, increase the risk of high blood pressure compared with those living in less polluted areas.

However, the study also found that more than 6,200 people (about 15%) of the participants in the study did not have high blood pressure during the follow-up period, but began to have symptoms of high blood pressure or lowering medication. blood pressure after the study period.

For noise pollution, especially from traffic, researchers found that people living in busy streets with noisy traffic at night, the risk of high blood pressure average 6% more than those who live in areas with a noise level of at least 20%.

Professor Hoffmann emphasized that this study has demonstrated that long-term exposure to air pollution in the air increases the incidence of high blood pressure.

According to the research team, the current level of air pollution in Spain and Germany is higher than that of Northern European countries.

Meanwhile, the current European law does not adequately protect people from the serious impacts of air pollution.