Authors
Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Exposure to noise and heat causes individuals to experience some changes in
the function of cardiovascular system in workplaces. This study aimed to find the combined effect
of heat and noise on systolic and diastolic types of blood pressure in experimentally controlled
conditions.
METHODS: This quasi‑experimental study was performed with 12 male students in a climatic chamber
in 2014. Blood pressure including systolic and diastolic was measured in the following conditions:
15 min after rest in exposure to heat (40°C, relative humidity [RH]: 30%), exposure to noise with
75, 85, and 95 dB rates in thermal comfort condition (22.1 ± 0.9 wet‑bulb globe temperature), and
combined exposure to heat (40°C, RH: 30%) and noise with 75, 85, and 95 dB. Friedman test was
used to analyze the data.
RESULTS: The mean change of systolic blood pressure was different significantly before and after
exposure to heat and noise levels including 75, 85, and 95 dB (P = 0.015, P = 0.001, P > 0.001,
P = 0.027, respectively). Although systolic and diastolic blood pressures changed drastically, it was
not significantly different in simultaneous exposure to heat and noise.
CONCLUSION: Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased in exposure to heat,
while exposure to different levels of noise elevates systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
However, when exposed to a combination of heat and noise, subtle changes of blood pressure
were traced, which can be characterized as average, considering heat‑only and noise‑only
tension situations.
Keywords
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