Road traffic noise exposure and filled prescriptions for antihypertensive medication: A danish cohort study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological researchoneffects oftransportationnoiseonincidenthypertensionisinconsistent. OBJECTIVES: We aimedtoinvestigatewhetherresidentialroadtraffic noiseincreasestheriskforhypertension. METHODS: In apopulation-basedcohortof57,053individuals50–64 yearsofageatenrollment,weidentified 21,241individualswhofulfilled our case definition of filling ≥2 prescriptionsand ≥180 defined dailydosesofantihypertensivedrugs(AHTs)withinayear,duringameanfollow-up time of14.0y.Residentialaddressesfrom1987to2016wereobtainedfromnationalregisters,androadtraffic noiseatthemostexposedfaçadeas well astheleastexposedfaçadewasmodeledforalladdresses.AnalyseswereconductedusingCoxproportionalhazardsmodels. RESULTS: We foundnoassociationsbetweenthe10-ymeanexposuretoroadtraffic noiseand filled prescriptionsforAHTs,withincidencerateratios (IRRs) of0.999[95%confidence intervals(CI):0.980,1.019)]per10-dBincreaseinroadtraffic noiseatthemostexposedfaçadeandof1.001(95% CI: 0.977,1.026)attheleastexposedfaçade.Interactionanalysessuggestedanassociationwithroadtraffic noiseattheleastexposedfaçadeamong subpopulations ofcurrentsmokersandobeseindividuals. CONCLUSION: The presentstudydoesnotsupportanassociationbetweenroadtraffic noiseand filled prescriptionsforAHTs. https://doi.org/10.1289/ EHP6273.