Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society
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The aim of this study was to evaluate subjective noise perception and objective parameters of circulation in the vicinity of the Frankfurt airport. Two areas were selected in which aircraft noise was the predominant source of noise (and was) created by planes induced by take off but not during landing. Data of residents living in the two areas were observed over a period of twelve weeks, one area being exposed to air traffic noise for three quarters of the given time, the other for one quarter of the time. ⋯ It is concluded that a population exposed to a nocturnal equivalent continuous air traffic noise level of L(eq(3)) = 50 dB(A) for three quarters of a given time has a higher average blood pressure compared to a population exposed to the same equal energy noise level for only one quarter of the time. Within the East group a parallel between noise exposure and noise perception was observed, while in the West group this parallel did not appear. The difference is considered to be the consequence of higher noise stress levels in the West group. The data are in accordance with recent epidemiological studies and indicate that a nocturnal aircraft noise of L(eq(3)) = 50 dB(A) can have negative effects on subjective noise perception and on objective parameters of circulation.