Cell Phones & Cardiovascular Diseases

Results from a long-term study of the effects of cell phone use were reported in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. The study looked at over 440,000 people with no history of cardiovascular disease. The primary outcome for the study was development of incident CVD; secondary outcomes included CVD components and increased carotid intima-media thickness. 

“Regular” cell phone use = at least 1 call per week. 

Over the 12 years of the study, more than 56,000 people developed incident CVD. The hard-hitting fact: a “significantly higher risk of incident CVD” was seen in those who regularly used their cell phones vs those who were considered “nonregular” users. In addition, those who used their phones more had increased carotid intima-media thickness.

In the cell phone user group, increased time on the phone correlated with increased risks, especially among those with diabetes and those who smoked. The study concluded that “Weekly mobile phone usage time was positively associated with incident CVD risk, which was partly explained by poor sleep, psychologic distress, and neuroticism.”

“…more conclusive evidence with valid measurements of mobile phone use is needed before this association becomes a concern for the general public,” stated Nicholas Grubic of the University of Toronto, who is coauthor of an accompanying editorial.

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