Can noise cause high blood pressure? Occupational risk in paper industry.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The authors hypothesize cardiovascular effects in paper industry workers exposed to noise. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 72 paper industry workers exposed to noise and two control groups not exposed to noise. The workers completed a questionnaire and underwent a medical examination, measurement of blood pressure, electrocardiogram, blood tests, audiometry and measurement of noise exposure. RESULTS: The workers exposed to noise, all hearing impaired, were compared with not exposed and showed: significant increase of mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure values (p<0.001), higher frequency of hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.01 and p<0.001) and electrocardiografic abnormalities (p<0.05), significant reduction of blood pressure response in orthostatism (p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that for the workers of the paper industry the noise is an occupational risk factor for cardiovascular effects.