A new study found that spending just 30 minutes talking on a mobile phone per week is linked to a greater risk of blood pressure, a major cause of heart attacks and strokes.
The research team said: “In recent years, mobile phones have become a device of everyday life worldwide, with an estimated 8.2 billion subscriptions worldwide in 2020. This raises important questions about the safety of using a mobile phone to make or receive calls, especially for heavy users.”
Researchers found that those who spent half an hour once a week, even hands-free, were 12 percent more prone to higher blood pressure, also called hypertension.
Furthermore, six hours of weekly phone chats raised the risk to 25 percent. The study found that those with the highest risk were participants who had a high genetic risk of hypertension. Spending at least 30 minutes on the phone for them led to a 33 percent higher chance of hypertension.
The reason behind the link is not yet known, and more research is needed. However, mobile phone usage emits low levels of radiofrequency energy, which has been linked to higher blood pressure after short-term exposure, the researchers said.
“Years of use or employing a hands-free set-up had no influence on the likelihood of developing high blood pressure. More studies are needed to confirm the findings.”
Additionally, the professor also suggested that chatting on the device may not affect the risk of developing hypertension as long as weekly calls are kept below 30 minutes.
“More research is needed to replicate the results, but until then, it seems prudent to keep cell phone calls to a minimum to maintain heart health,” Qin said.
Researchers analyzed data on 212,046 UK adults—all of whom reported using cell phones at least once a week—without hypertension between the ages of 37 and 73.
They were tracked for an average of 12 years. The study found that 13,984, or 7 percent, of participants developed high blood pressure.
Information on the use of mobile phones to make and receive calls was gathered through a self-reported touchscreen questionnaire that included years of use, hours per week, and the use of a hands-free device or speakerphone.
The participants who used a phone at least once a week to make or receive calls were defined as mobile phone users in the study.
Hypertension
Hypertension, often dubbed the “silent killer,” is one of the main causes of premature death in the world. The condition can damage arteries by making them less elastic, which decreases blood and oxygen flow and can lead to a heart attack or stroke.Nearly 1.3 billion adults aged 30 to 79 worldwide have high blood pressure.
Sam-Yorke added: “In cases where people with high blood pressure do experience symptoms, the ones to look out for include:
1. Headaches 2. Chest pain 3. Shortness of breath 4. Blurred vision 5. Nausea 6. Nosebleeds.”
The most reliable way of determining your blood pressure levels is to have a doctor or other health professional measure it.
Copy
