A recent study indicates that regular mobile phone usage may elevate the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially among smokers and individuals with diabetes. The study also highlights that factors such as poor sleep, psychological distress, and neuroticism contribute to this risk.
Published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, the research details findings from a large-scale prospective cohort study.
"Given the pervasive use of mobile phones in today's world, understanding their potential health impacts is crucial. However, the exact relationship between mobile phone use and cardiovascular disease risk remains unclear," explained Yanjun Zhang, MD, from the Division of Nephrology at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
The study analyzed data from 444,027 participants in the UK Biobank, who reported their mobile phone usage between 2006 and 2010 and had no prior cardiovascular conditions.
Regular mobile phone use was defined as at least one call per week. The study assessed outcomes such as acute stroke, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure over an average follow-up period of 12.3 years, using linked hospital and mortality records.
Researchers also evaluated participants' sleep patterns, psychological distress, and neuroticism.
"Our findings suggest that sleep disturbances, psychological distress, and neuroticism might be mechanisms linking mobile phone use with cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, long-term exposure to mobile phone radiation may cause oxidative stress and inflammation. Combined with smoking and diabetes, this exposure could further increase cardiovascular disease risk,” concluded Xianhui Qin from Nanfang Hospital.
Ongoing research is needed to provide more definitive evidence on this topic.