Urban Noise Exposure May Aid Prediction of Myocardial Infarction

WEDNESDAY, Sept 4, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Young patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and fewer traditional risk factors often have greater exposure to urban noise, according to a study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2024, held from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 in London.

Hatim Kerniss, from the Gesundheit Nord Clinic Group in Bremen, Germany, and colleagues explored the impact of noise exposure on the individual risk for early-onset MI. The analysis included 430 consecutive city-dwelling patients (aged 50 years and younger) with acute MI (2015 to 2023).

The researchers observed an elevated incidence of noise exposure among people with MI compared with the general population in the same region. This association was seen for both daytime (65 versus 53 percent) and nighttime (55 versus 41 percent) residential noise exposure. Significantly higher noise exposure was observed in patients with MI and a low LIFE-CVD score (≤2.5 percent) versus those with a high LIFE-CVD score (daytime: 2.32 versus 1.36; nighttime: 1.72 versus 1.00). There was an inverse association between average noise exposure and traditional risk factor exposure, which persisted significantly even after adjusting for potential confounding factors such as socioeconomic status, air pollution exposure, and renal function.

"Including noise exposure in risk prediction models helps accurately identify at-risk individuals, leading to better-targeted prevention," Kerniss said in a statement. "Recognizing noise as a risk factor fills a critical gap and underscores the need for public health strategies to reduce noise pollution, thereby improving cardiovascular health in young populations."

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