Stress at work could literally kill you, according to researchers who have found a link between work strain and a serious irregular heart rhythm problem.
Someone who works in a high-stress, low-reward job may face a 97 percent increased risk of developing the problem, known as atrial fibrillation, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers examined medical database records of nearly 6,000 office workers in Canada.
A high level of job stress alone was found to be associated with an 83 percent higher risk of developing heart disease.
Furthermore, not being rewarded solely for hard work, such as having a low salary or little recognition, was associated with a 44 percent higher risk.
Researchers found that high levels of job stress alone were associated with an 83 percent higher risk of developing heart disease.
Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib or AFib, is a serious condition that causes irregular heart rhythms and, if left untreated, can lead to life-threatening heart failure. It can lead to stroke or other cardiovascular complications.
In the UK, more than 1.5 million people have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, but it is estimated that there are at least another 270,000 people in the country who remain undiagnosed and unaware.
In the United States, it is estimated that more than 12 million people will have AF by 2030.
Previous research has linked high levels of job stress and an imbalance between effort and reward at work with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
This research is the first to examine the adverse effect of both stress and lack of recognition at work on atrial fibrillation, said study senior author Xavier Trudel, an occupational and cardiovascular epidemiologist and associate professor at Laval University in Quebec City, Canada.
“Our study suggests that work-related stressors may be relevant factors to include in preventive strategies,” said Dr. Trudel.
‘Psychosocial stressors at work need to be recognised and addressed to foster healthy work environments that benefit both individuals and the organisations in which they work.’
The researchers studied the impact of job strain, which refers to a work environment in which employees face high job demands, such as heavy workloads and tight deadlines, and low control over their work with little input in decision-making and how they execute their tasks.
Another factor evaluated in the study was the imbalance between effort and reward. This occurs when employees invest significant effort in their work but perceive that the rewards they receive in return, such as salary, recognition or job security, are insufficient or unequal to their performance.
A total of 5,926 workers were included in the analysis, including an equal mix of men and women.
Their average age was 45 years at the start of the study in 1999 and 65 years at the end in 2018.
The analysis identified 186 cases of AF, and within that group, 19 percent of people with AF reported high job strain; 25 percent said they perceived an imbalance between effort and reward; and 10 percent reported experiencing both stressors simultaneously.
More than one-third of participants had been diagnosed with coronary heart disease or heart failure before the onset of AF.
But researchers found that implementing flexible schedules and holding meetings to discuss daily challenges lowered blood pressure levels.
“The effectiveness of workplace interventions to reduce psychosocial stressors that may also reduce AF risk should be investigated in future research efforts,” said Dr. Trudel.
‘Our research team previously conducted an organizational intervention designed to reduce psychosocial stressors at work, which was shown to effectively reduce blood pressure levels.
‘Some examples of organizational changes implemented during the intervention included slowing down the implementation of a large project to avoid increased workload; implementing flexible work schedules; and holding meetings between managers and employees to discuss daily challenges.’
However, because all participants were Canadian and had white-collar jobs, such as office workers, the study’s authors admitted that the results might not apply to other types of workers or to workers in other countries.
