Professional stress and functional predictors of atherosclerosis

Abstract

The aim. To explore the frequency of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, signs of subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in men with occupational stress. Materials and Methods. 180 men with hypertension I–II were examined. Patient’s group included 95 locomotive drivers and driver assistances, whose profession was classified as stressful and 85 patients with low occupational stress. Mean age in the 1st group was 46.1 ± 8.3 years, in the 2nd group – 47.7 ± 8.5 years. The diagnostic program included evaluated cardiometabolic risk factors evaluation, measurement of ankle-brachial index, the thickness of the intima-media of brachiocephalic vessels. Endothelial function was assessed by reactive hyperemia test. High incidence of abdominal obesity, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, as well as functional signs of atherosclerosis in individuals stressful profession with hypertension was revealed. Most patients in both groups had a low 10-year risk and were comparable in coronary prognosis. It is shown that in patients with hypertension and occupational stress endothelial dysfunction was identified more often by 17 % compared with low-stress profession. In these patients, in most cases (82 %) the signs of atherosclerosis were also found.