[Stress, socio-occupational factors and cardiovascular risk: Italian experience]

A short overview about the main results obtained in some Italian studies on stress, occupation and cardiovascular disease is presented. Objective occupational discomfort and stress perception are related to biological changes in cathecolamine excretion and blood pressure. The latter, in males, is proposed as a biological index of stress perception. However it is not clear if these changes are a consistent contribution in increasing prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors, coronary disease severity and incidence, although case fatality seems undoubtedly associated to low socio-occupational status. Consequent directions for future research are proposed.