Stress has always been related to promoting heart diseases. Now according to a recent study, too much work pressure may increase the risk of developing a rapid and irregular heart which could lead to heart failure, dementia, stroke and other fatal health complications.
The condition called Atrial Fibrillation is increased by 48% with job stress or work pressure found the study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, PTI reported.
Staying stressed at work could now prove fatal says science.
Eleonor Fransson, study author from Jonkoping University in Sweden said : “Work stress has previously been linked with coronary heart disease. Work stress should be considered a modifiable risk factor for preventing atrial fibrillation and coronary heart disease,” said study author Eleonor Fransson from Jonkoping University in Sweden.
“People who feel stressed at work and have palpitations or other symptoms of atrial fibrillation should see their doctor and speak to their employer about improving the situation at work,” she said.
The study included 13,200 participants enrolled with the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) in 2006, 2008, or 2010.
The research team then defined work stress as job strain, which refers to jobs with high psychological demands combined with low control over the work situation.
The team included participants who had no history of atrial fibrillation, heart attack, or heart failure. The team also completed postal surveys on sociodemographics, lifestyle, health, and work-related factors which included questions on job demands and control.
A 5.7 years follow-up by the researchers identified that key risk factor for atrial fibrillation is stress at work.
“Atrial fibrillation is a common condition with serious consequences and therefore it is of major public health importance to find ways of preventing it,” Fransson explained.
The symptoms according to the researchers for atrial fibrillation include palpitations, weakness, fatigue, feeling light headed, dizziness, and shortness of breath.