Long Working Hours Increase Heart Problems

Researchers say that long working hours lead to an increase in heart problems among individuals. By examining over 1,900 people who have had long working hours, researchers found that 43% of these individuals developed cardiovascular issues. These problems include angina, coronary artery disease, heart failure, heart attacks, hypertension, and ultimately complete cardiac arrest. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the risk of heart disease among full-time employees (who work forty hours a week) increases by one percent for every hour of overtime worked over ten years. When this number exceeds 46 hours, the risk increases further. Comparing two groups that have worked an average of 45 hours a week for ten years with those who have worked an average of 55 hours a week during the same period shows that the risk of heart disease in the second group increases by 16%. When the workload reaches sixty hours a week, the risk increases by up to 35%. Based on this research, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, researchers still do not know how increased work leads to higher rates of heart disease. Sadi Kanavi, a cardiovascular specialist at Texas State University and the lead author of the study, states that this research provides clear evidence of the relationship between long working hours and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, any program aimed at preventing heart and vascular diseases should emphasize reducing working hours. In this context, about '500,000' Iranians suffer from heart attacks and strokes annually.