Exposure to chronic noise on the street and at work can increase the risk of a heart attack, German researchers said. Scientists at the Charite University Medical Centre in Berlin who studied the impact of noise on health said it can increase stress levels which may set off changes in the body that can trigger a heart attack. "Chronic noise exposure carries an increased risk of heart attack," said Dr Stefan Willich, a cardiologist and director of the Institute for Social Medicine at the centre. "It is not as high as the risk from smoking or high blood pressure but it is significant," he said. Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in developed countries. Smoking, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol levels, being overweight or obese and lack of exercise increase the odds of developing the illness.