Heart Attacks and Heart Diseases Linked to Aircraft Noise

Frequent exposure to aircraft noise in some of the busiest airports has been directly linked to a higher risk of heart disease and strokes, according to two separate studies from UK and the United States.

The study which was published in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday found that people who are enduring the highest levels of noise from aircrafts relatively increased their risks of stroke, coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular illnesses.

Stephen Stanfeld, professor at the Queen Mary University of London provided a commentary on the findings of the researchers although he was not directly involved in the study. He suggested that "aircraft noise exposure is not just a cause of annoyance, sleep disturbance and reduced quality of life but it may also increase sickness and death from heart disease".

"Cities and town planners need to take this into account when extending airports in heavily populated areas or planning new airports," he added. However, other experts said the study raised more important concerns about both aircraft noise and health but failed to provide any causal link.

"Both of these studies are thorough and well-conducted. But, even taken together, they don't prove that aircraft noise actually causes heart disease and strokes," said Kevin McConway, a professor of applied statistics at Britain's Open University. The British study investigated the risks of stroke and heart disease in relation to aircraft noise among a vast population 3.6 million people living near Heathrow, one of the busiest airports in the world.

The second study conducted by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and Boston University School of Public Health looked at data for approximately six million Americans aged 65 and above, living near 89 US airports in 2009. Conway said that due to the kind of data used, both studies could only "suggest very strongly that there is a need to find out much more about aircraft noise and circulatory disease."