Washington, May 07: A new research has discovered that females are twice as likely to suffer from heart troubles caused by stress at work places than their male counterparts.
The discovery suggested that the long-familiar harmful effects of job tension on males cause more harm to women’s heart.
During the research, among female nurses in Denmark, scientists observed for 15 years the impact of having a hard job on the hearts of 12,000 females aged 45 to 64.
Those who complained of unnecessary pressure were about 50% more likely to have heart problems as compared to those who said the tension was manageable or apt. This number was decreased to 35% when daily life factors like smoking were considered.
The effect was greatest among nurses aged below 50, who ran twice the threat if they had a hard-hitting job.
The scientists from the Glostrup University Hospital in Denmark said that heart problem is more common in elderly and so causes like tension are harder to differentiate from other lifestyle factors.
In the observation period 1993-2008, 580 females had been admitted to hospital with heart problem, of whom 138 suffered a coronary failure. The outcomes of the research were releasedpublished in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The researchers also studied the outcomes for the first five years, when the nurses were younger. This showed the effects of stress were greater, relatively, with up to a doubling in the risk of heart disease for those under the greatest pressure.
June Davison, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said, “Feeling under pressure at work means stressed employees may pick up some unhealthy bad habits and add to their risk of developing heart problems. Pressurised workers may reach for cigarettes, snack foods and alcohol to make themselves feel better. If you feel under pressure, you should try and tackle it in a positive way and get active during work hours.”
–Agencies–