[Prevalence of hypertension among railroad engine operators at a metallurgical plant]

The article comments on a study of the labour conditions peculiarities of industrial rail-way engine operators and the epidemiology of hypertension disease in this professional group. 962 persons (both mechanics and their subordinates) were examined, all of them males, 20-59 years of age, with the duration of work: less than 10 years--366 cases, 11-20 years--483 cases, over 20 years--113 cases. The analysis of hypertension prevalence revealed that the morbidity rate was markedly higher among the engine teams' personnel as compared with the depot workers. The morbidity rate difference between the industrial rail-way engine mechanics and main-line engine mechanics was insignificant. The high morbidity rate necessitates improvements of the labour conditions, e.g. working shift cuts, establishment of physical rehabilitation and psycho-emotional relaxation units, as well as rational diet.