Talking too much on the cell phone could increase the risk of hypertension – breaking latest news

Talking too much on the cell phone could be associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension
. This is the hypothesis of a research published in the European Heart Journal – Digital Health, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (CES).
the number of minutes people spend talking on a cellphone that matters for heart health: more minutes mean a higher risksaid study author Professor Xianhui Qin of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. Findings from previous studies on cell phone use and blood pressure have not been conclusive, not least because they often included texting, gaming, and more. The study in question instead examined just the relationship between making and receiving phone calls and new-onset hypertension.

The method

The research used data from the UK biobank. A total of 212,046 adults aged 37 to 73 years without hypertension were included. Information on cell phone use to make and receive calls was collected through a self-reported questionnaire, including years of use, hours per week, and use of a speakerphone/speakerphone. The researchers analyzed the relationship between cell phone use and new-onset hypertension after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, ethnicity, family history of hypertension, education, smoking status, blood pressure, blood lipids, inflammation, blood sugar, kidney function and use of drugs to lower cholesterol or blood sugar levels. The mean age of the participants was 54 years, 62% were women and 88% were mobile phone users.

The results

During a 12-year follow-up it turned out that cell phone users had a 7% higher risk of high blood pressure than non-users. Those who talked on cell phones for 30 minutes or more a week had a 12 percent higher chance of new-onset hypertension than participants who spent fewer than 30 minutes on phone calls. The results were similar for women and men. Looking at the results in more detail, compared to participants who spent less than 5 minutes a week making or receiving cell phone calls, the weekly usage time was 30-59 minutes, 1-3 hours, 4-6 hours and more. of 6 hours was associated with an 8%, 13%, 16%, and 25% increased risk of high blood pressure, respectively. Years of use and use of a speakerphone/hands-free device were not significantly related to the development of hypertension.

genetic risk

The researchers also looked at the relationship between usage time (less than 30 minutes versus 30 minutes or more) and new-onset hypertension depending on whether participants had a low, intermediate, or high genetic risk of developing hypertension. Genetic risk was determined using data from the UK Biobank. The analysis showed that the probability of developing high blood pressure was higher in those at high genetic risk who spent at least 30 minutes a week talking on their cell phones: they had a 33% higher probability of developing hypertension than those at low genetic risk who they spent less than 30 minutes a week on the phone. Professor Qin said: Our findings suggest that talking on a cell phone may not affect the risk of developing high blood pressure as long as the weekly calling time is kept below half an hour. More research is needed to replicate the findings, but until then it seems prudent to keep phone calls to a minimum to preserve heart health.