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Published on: September 26, 2018
[Occupational cardiovascular diseases diagnosis]
M Coggiola1, F Perrelli, A Gullino
1A.O. CTO, Maria Adelaide, Torino, Italy. maurizio.coggiola@unito.it
Insights
Cardiovascular diseases (CD) are a leading cause of death in Italy, with limited data on occupational links. Research highlights noise, stress, and shift work as key occupational risk factors for CD, classifying them as work-related illnesses.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Context:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CD) represent the primary cause of mortality in Italy.
- Current data on the extent of CD attributable to occupational exposure is notably limited.
- Official lists of occupational diseases in Italy identify a small number of CD linked to specific occupational exposures.
Purpose:
- To review the existing literature on occupational risk factors contributing to cardiovascular diseases.
- To assess the classification of cardiovascular diseases as work-related illnesses.
- To propose strategies for managing occupational risks and evaluating fitness for work in cardiopathic patients.
Summary:
- Literature analysis indicates that occupational noise exposure may be linked to a high prevalence of CD.
- Occupational stress and shift work are identified as significant risk factors for developing cardiovascular diseases.
- The study suggests that CD can be classified as work-related diseases due to factors like noise, stress, and shift work.
Impact:
- The findings underscore the need for enhanced health prevention and promotion activities focused on occupational cardiovascular risks.
- Difficulty in quantifying occupational exposure's impact necessitates a shift towards proactive health strategies.
- Recommends developing standardized protocols for assessing the fitness to work of individuals with cardiopathic conditions.
Abstract:
In Italy cardiovascular diseases (CD) are the main cause of death. On the number of cardiovascular diseases attributable to occupational exposure is very limited. The INAIL list of occupational diseases identifies four types of exposure able to cause a specific CD while the list of DM 19.12.2009 cites two CD with high probability to be linked to occupational exposure and two as possible occupational origin. The literature analysis shows that only the noise occupational exposure (possible origin) could cause a high prevalence of CD and that there are two different relevant occupational risk factors as stress and shift work. Consequently also CD are classifiable as work related diseases. In consequence of the difficulty to identify a good tool to evaluate the weight of occupational exposure on origin of CD, it could be advisable to focus mainly on the identification of specific activities of health prevention and promotion and to define a standard strategy of cardiopathic patient's fitness to work evaluation.
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