This research shows that young adults, aged 50 or younger, who suffered an early myocardial infarction were, on average, exposed to higher noise levels than the general population.
Urban noise could significantly increase the risk of early myocardial infarction,
or in young adults, presenting low traditional risk factors. Exposure to noise should therefore, according to the authors, be taken into account among the common risk factors for cardiovascular events, in the same way as smoking or diabetes, for example.
The DECIBEL-MI studyconducted by a team from the Bremer Institut für Herz- und Kreislaufforschung, (Bremen, Germany) in 2 European cities with 430 patients, aged 50 or less, who had suffered an acute myocardial infarction. The analysis, which took into account noise exposure levels, reveals:
- a higher prevalence of noise exposure in these participants than on average in the general population;
- Patients with myocardial infarction and low levels of traditional risk factors, such as smoking or diabetes, were, on average, subjected to significantly higher noise exposure than participants with low scores on traditional risk factors, such as smoking or diabetes. traditional high risk.
Traditional cardiovascular risk assessment models should be reviewed
Current models tend to underestimate cardiovascular risk in young adults considered to be at low risk. By integrating noise exposure into these models, it would be possible to identify people at high risk of myocardial infarction, not detected by standard prediction models.
A separate study, ENVI-MI, carried out by a team from the University of Burgundy and the Dijon hospital, evaluated the impact of exposure to environmental noise on the prognosis after a first myocardial infarction, in 864 patients hospitalized for an acute myocardial infarction having survived at least 28 days after the infarction. The analysis indeed confirms a strong association between exposure to urban noise, particularly at night, and a worse prognosis at 1 year after a first myocardial infarction. The analysis notes in particular:
- a 25% increase in risk of major stroke for every 10 dB(A) increase in noise during the night, regardless of air pollution, socio-economic level and other confounding factors.
Thus, exposure to noise can affect cardiovascular prognosis.
Although larger prospective studies will still have to confirm these data, it is time to implement prevention strategies, the researchers emphasize. against this form of pollution, a prevention which remains largely neglected.
