High-stress jobs stress women's hearts

BOSTON, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Women who have high job strain are more likely to have heart attacks, U.S. researchers say.

Dr. Michelle A. Albert, associate physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston who is the senior author of the study, says job strain is considered a form of psychological stress and is defined as having a demanding job -- but little to no decision-making authority or opportunities to use one's creative or individual skills.

The study found women with such jobs have a 40 percent increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries versus women with low job strain.

Albert and colleagues analyzed job strain in 17,415 healthy women who participated in the Women's Health Study, who are primarily Caucasian health professionals, average age 57 who provided information about heart disease risk factors, job strain and job insecurity. They were tracked for 10 years.

Fear of losing one's job was linked to risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and excess body weight, but it's not directly associated with heart attacks, stroke, invasive heart procedures or cardiovascular death, the researchers said.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in Chicago.