This story is from June 10, 2016

Nagpada doctor sounds alarm on risks to heart

Over the years, the age of patients suffering from cardiac ailments has dropped drastically enough to warrant concern
Nagpada doctor sounds alarm on risks to heart
Mumbai: Over the years, the age of patients suffering from cardiac ailments has dropped drastically enough to warrant concern.
Experts say that exposure to continuous loud noise can precipitate heart ailments, endangering lives.
Cardiologist Dr Nazir Juvale, who has a private practice in Nagpada since 30 years, on Thursday introduced TOI to two young heart patients, Mohammed Talha (26) and Shabbir Mamdani (30), who live in the noisy Bhendi Bazar-Nagpada area.

Both Talha and Shabbir say they are battered by loud sounds day and night but do not have the option of moving out of the locality. Both have a family history of heart disease. Talha, who has two blockages in his heart, in fact, lost his father at just 49. He, though, is “accustomed” to this lifestyle and says that honking of cars and zooming sounds of fast bikes do not bother him.
Shabbir agrees that noise is a silent killer. “Parts of South Mumbai such as Mohammed Ali Road below J J Flyover, Bhendi Bazar, Nagpada and Byculla witnesses a cacophony of sounds day and night. Unruly bikers and car and taxi drivers blare their horns in a rapidfire manner and the authorities simply turn a blind eye,” he says and his wife Asma nods.
“International studies by the WHO, in the UK and the US show that exposure to chronic noise aggravates heart diseases, hypertension, increases mortality and precipitates heart failure and life-threatening arrythmia. One research says that an increase of 10 decibels can raise the risk of mortality by 9%. Moreover, patients who have an AICD implant (auto defibrillator) show more episodes of arrythmia in areas where noise is high. Not to forget that noise causes insomnia, adding to their stress,” says Dr Juvale, who also practises in Saifee, Wockhardt at Mumbai Central, and Prince Aly Khan hospitals.
Dr Juvale says, “Why does the government not ban loud musical instruments? Hardly any festival is complete without loud processions or DJ music or traditional dhol tasha. The city has no respite. In fact, I live near Nair Hospital where, inexplicably, hospital ambulances blare the siren if they pass by even at 2am when the roads are clear. Sirens are meant to give ambulances right of way, what is the need to blow them to disturb sleeping residents?”
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