Talking a lot on a cell phone can increase blood pressure

Talking on a cell phone for 30 or more minutes a week is associated with a 12% higher risk of high blood pressure compared to those who spend less than 30 minutes, according to research published in the European Heart Journal-Digital Health, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology.

Almost three quarters of the world’s population aged 10 and over have a mobile phone. Nearly 1.3 billion adults between the ages of 30 and 79 worldwide you have high blood pressure (hypertension).

Hypertension is a factor significant risk of heart attack and stroke and the leading cause of premature death worldwide.

Mobile phones broadcast low levels of radio frequency energywhich is associated with an increase in blood pressure after short exposure.

The results of previous studies on cell phone use and blood pressure have been inconsistent, possibly because they included calls, text messages, games, etc.

“What is important for heart health is the number of minutes people spend talking on their cell phones, and more minutes means a higher risk,” said study author Professor Xianhui Qin, from Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

This study examined the relationship between making and receiving telephone calls and new-onset hypertension.

The study used data from the British Biobank. A total of 212,046 adults aged 37 to 73 without hypertension were included. Data on mobile phone use for making and receiving calls were collected via a self-reported touchscreen questionnaire at baseline, including years of use, hours per week, and hands-free/speakerphone use.

Participants who used a mobile phone at least once a week to make or receive calls were defined as mobile phone users. The average age of the participants was 54 years, 62% were women, and 88% were mobile phone users.

During a median follow-up of 12 years, 13,984 (7%) participants developed hypertension. Mobile phone users had a 7% higher risk of hypertension compared to non-users. Those who talked on their cell phones 30 minutes or more per week were 12% more likely to have new high blood pressure than participants who spent less than 30 minutes talking on the phone. The results were similar for women and men.

“Our findings suggest that talking on a mobile phone may not affect the risk of developing high blood pressure as long as the weekly phone time is less than half an hour. More research is needed to replicate the results, but until then it seems prudent to keep cell phone calls to a minimum to preserve heart health.”