Long Workweek Raises Stroke Risk

Extended work hours are often accompanied by increased mental – and sometimes physical – stress.  Mika Kivimaki, from the University College London (United Kingdom),and colleague completed a large-scale systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual-level data examining the effects of longer working hours on cardiovascular disease   Data analysis of 17 studies involving a total of 528,908 men and women who were followed for an average of 7.2 years, found a 1.3 times higher risk of stroke in those participants who worked 55 hours or more a week, as compared to those who worked a 35-40 hour workweek (after adjusting for confounding variables).   Further, an analysis of 25 studies involving a total of 603,838 men and women who were followed for an average of 8.5 years, found a 13% increased risk of incident coronary heart disease among those participants who worked 55 hours or more per week, as compared to those who worked a 35-40 hour workweek.  Observing that: “Employees who work long hours have a higher risk of stroke than those working standard hours; the association with coronary heart disease is weaker,” the study authors urge that: “These findings suggest that more attention should be paid to the management of vascular risk factors in individuals who work long hours.”