Hypertension risk high for people working long hours, new study warns
| Jan 7, 2020, 13:06 IST
You have a 70 per cent chance of developing hypertension if you work more than 49 hours a week compared to working 35 hours per week. This medical condition is a hidden form of high blood pressure that is not easily detected in a normal blood pressure test.
3,500 white-collar employees in Quebec were part of the study conducted by a team of Canadian researchers. Their investigation spanned over the course of five years. Researchers also took into account other contributing factors like job stress, age, sex, level of education, occupation, smoking habit, and body mass index (BMI). The study's results revealed:
* Working more than 49 hours per week increased hypertension by 70 per cent and sustained hypertension by 66 per cent.
* Working more than 41 and 48 hours each week increased hypertension by 54 per cent and sustained hypertension by 42 per cent.
"Both masked and sustained high blood pressure are linked to higher cardiovascular disease risk," lead study lead author Xavier Trudel, an assistant professor in the social and preventive medicine department at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, told a news portal. Adding, "The observed associations accounted for job strain, a work stressor defined as a combination of high work demands and low decision-making authority. However, other related stressors might have an impact."
Trudel further explained: "Future research could examine whether family responsibilities -- such as a worker's number of children, household duties and childcare role -- might interact with work circumstances to explain high blood pressure."
There was no difference in the results between men and women when it came to this association. However, the authors of the study stated the study "did not include blue-collar workers (employees who are paid by the hour and perform manual labour work in positions such agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining, maintenance or hospitality service), therefore, these findings may not reflect the impact on blood pressure of shift-work or positions with higher physical demands."
Even so, the findings are cause for pause and researchers urge people to seek help and check in on their health. "People should be aware that long work hours might affect their heart health, and if they're working long hours, they should ask their doctors about checking their blood pressure over time with a wearable monitor," Trudel told a news portal. Adding, "Masked hypertension can affect someone for a long period of time and is associated, in the long term, with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. We have previously shown that over five years, about 1 out of 5 people with masked hypertension never showed high blood pressure in a clinical setting, potentially delaying diagnosis and treatment."
The study's findings were originally published in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension.
Picture Courtesy: Google Images
3,500 white-collar employees in Quebec were part of the study conducted by a team of Canadian researchers. Their investigation spanned over the course of five years. Researchers also took into account other contributing factors like job stress, age, sex, level of education, occupation, smoking habit, and body mass index (BMI). The study's results revealed:
* Working more than 49 hours per week increased hypertension by 70 per cent and sustained hypertension by 66 per cent.
* Working more than 41 and 48 hours each week increased hypertension by 54 per cent and sustained hypertension by 42 per cent.
"Both masked and sustained high blood pressure are linked to higher cardiovascular disease risk," lead study lead author Xavier Trudel, an assistant professor in the social and preventive medicine department at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, told a news portal. Adding, "The observed associations accounted for job strain, a work stressor defined as a combination of high work demands and low decision-making authority. However, other related stressors might have an impact."
Trudel further explained: "Future research could examine whether family responsibilities -- such as a worker's number of children, household duties and childcare role -- might interact with work circumstances to explain high blood pressure."
There was no difference in the results between men and women when it came to this association. However, the authors of the study stated the study "did not include blue-collar workers (employees who are paid by the hour and perform manual labour work in positions such agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining, maintenance or hospitality service), therefore, these findings may not reflect the impact on blood pressure of shift-work or positions with higher physical demands."
Even so, the findings are cause for pause and researchers urge people to seek help and check in on their health. "People should be aware that long work hours might affect their heart health, and if they're working long hours, they should ask their doctors about checking their blood pressure over time with a wearable monitor," Trudel told a news portal. Adding, "Masked hypertension can affect someone for a long period of time and is associated, in the long term, with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. We have previously shown that over five years, about 1 out of 5 people with masked hypertension never showed high blood pressure in a clinical setting, potentially delaying diagnosis and treatment."
The study's findings were originally published in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension.
Picture Courtesy: Google Images