Cardiovscular effects of impulse noise, road traffic noise, and intermittent pink noise at LAeq = 75 dB, as a function of sex, age, and level of anxiety : a comparative study. Part I: heart rate data.

This study aimed at comparing for their cardiovascular effects: a pile-driver noise (P), a gunfire noise (G), a road traffic noise (T), an intermittent pink noise (R). All noises were presented at the same LAeq = 75 dB for 15 min. each. Some 120 subjects were divided into 8 subgroups of 15 subjects each; OM (men between 40 and 50 years of age), OF (women, same age range), YM (men, between 15 and 20 years of age), YF (women, same age range), AM (typically anxious men, 20-25 years of age), AF (typically anxious women, same age range), NM (typicall anxiety-free men, same age range), and NF (typicall anxiety-free women, same age range). Heart rate (HR), digital pulse level, and arterial blood pressure were surveyed before, during, and after exposure to each of the four noises.