a second one, the investigators found.
Men and younger workers were more likely to work long hours, as were those who smoked, drank alcohol and were physically inactive. Workers whose jobs were stressful were also more likely to work longer hours, the questionnaires revealed.
Dr. Gregg Fonarow, interim chief of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) reviewed the study findings and says that “men and women who report having long hours working have been shown in prior research to be at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and premature cardiovascular death.”
Fonarow, however, adds that not enough patients studied had second heart attacks to draw any decisive conclusions.
“As there were only 95 individuals in this long work-hour group, further larger studies are needed [to determine] whether or not alteration of work hours alone would directly influence recurrent event risk,” he says.
Fonarow says the best way to prevent a repeat heart attack is with proven medical care.
“There are a number of effective medications, participation in cardiac rehabilitation and lifestyle modifications that can effectively reduce the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events,” he adds. “Intensive application of these evidence-based, guideline-recommended, cardiovascular event-reducing interventions are needed.”
Eliminating Stress at Work
You can also try these tips to eliminate stress from your job: