Environmental noise-induced cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health disorders: a brief review

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2022-11, Vol.29 (51), p.76485-76500
• Main Authors: Zaman, Muzafar, Muslim, Mohammad, Jehangir, Arshid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anxiety; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Background noise; Cardiovascular diseases; Cerebral infarction; cognition; Cognitive ability; Congestive heart failure; Coronary artery disease; diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Environmental science; Epidemiology; Global health; Heart diseases; heart failure; Heart rate; Hormones; human health; Hypertension; Ischemia; Literature reviews; Mental disorders; Mental health; Metabolism; Myocardial infarction; Noise levels; Noise measurement; Noise pollution; Oxidative stress; Pollutants; Pollution; Psychological factors; Psychological stress; Public health; Respiratory diseases; Review Article; sleep deprivation; Stress; Vascular diseases; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Well being
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22351-y

Background Environmental noise is a pervasive pollutant that is one of the greatest environmental threats to mental, physiological and psychological well-being and has a significant global health burden associated with it. Many epidemiological studies indicate long-term relationship of noise pollution with wide range of metabolic, cardio-vascular and respiratory disorders and diseases. Objective The goal of this study was to thoroughly analyse available literature on public health implications and various underlying biological mechanisms associated with ambient noise exposure, taking into account both objective and subjective measures of noise exposure. Methods A search of literature for review on environmental noise and associated cardiovascular, mental health and metabolic implications on human health was done using Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed databases. Discussion Experimental studies indicate that noise exposure leads to endocrine effects, increased incidence of diabetes, impairment of cognitive performance, sleep disturbance and annoyance. Epidemiological evidence indicates that high levels of noise, particularly at night, may cause arterial hypertension and endothelial dysfunction due to higher level of stress hormones and oxidative stress. An increased incidence of cardio-vascular diseases like myocardial infarction, heart rate, ischemic heart disease, stroke and heart failure is associated with noise-induced mental stress. Furthermore, psychological and mental health issues like anxiety and depression are also related with exposure to noise pollution. Conclusion This article summarises a comprehensive and systematic knowledge established in recent noise research with the spotlight on cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health disorders of environmental noise, providing unique understanding into underlying mechanisms.