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Job demand and cardiovascular disease risk factor in white-collar workers

Young Kyu Song1, Kang Koo Lee, Hyoung Ryoul Kim

  • 1Department of Occupational Ergonomics and Rehabilitation Health, Graduate School of Public Health, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, Korea.

Industrial Health
|February 18, 2010
PubMed

Insights

High job demand may increase cardiovascular disease risk. This study found elevated systolic blood pressure and reduced myocardial oxygen efficiency in workers with high job demands during strenuous exercise.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Occupational Health
  • Exercise Physiology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
  • Occupational stress, particularly high job demand, is increasingly recognized as a potential contributor to CVD risk.
  • Understanding the physiological mechanisms linking job demand to CVD is crucial for preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between job demand levels and cardiovascular responses during exercise.
  • To determine if job demand influences physiological markers of cardiovascular strain, such as blood pressure and myocardial oxygen consumption.
  • To assess job demand as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in male white-collar workers.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 177 male white-collar workers without pre-existing cardiovascular or metabolic diseases.
  • Participants were categorized based on their job demand levels.
  • Evaluated body composition and analyzed physiological responses (blood pressure, heart rate, rate pressure product) during graded exercise testing, including measures beyond the anaerobic threshold (AT).

Main Results:

  • No significant differences were observed in body composition metrics (BMI, WHR, body fat percentage) or exercise capacity (VO2max, AT) across job demand levels.
  • Significant differences in systolic blood pressure were found at higher exercise stages (7th and 8th stages) above the AT.
  • Rate pressure product (RPP), an indicator of myocardial oxygen consumption, showed a significant overall difference according to job demand (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Job demand significantly impacts systolic blood pressure during intense physical activity, specifically at exercise intensities above the anaerobic threshold.
  • Elevated job demand appears to reduce myocardial energy efficiency during physical exertion.
  • These findings suggest that high job demand may serve as an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases.

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