The role of hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy and psychosocial risks in cardiovascular disease: prospective evidence from blue-collar men

• Published in: European heart journal 1992-09, Vol.13 (suppl-D), p.89-95
• Main Authors: Siegrist, J., Peter, R., Motz, W., Strauer, B. E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Arousal; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cerebrovascular Disorders - etiology; Cerebrovascular Disorders - psychology; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Electrocardiography; epidemiology; Humans; Hyperlipidemias - complications; Hyperlipidemias - psychology; hypertension; Hypertension - complications; Hypertension - psychology; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - complications; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - psychology; Internal-External Control; Job Satisfaction; Left ventricular hypertrophy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; myocardial infarction; Myocardial Infarction - etiology; Myocardial Infarction - psychology; Prospective Studies; psychosocial factor; Risk Factors; Stress, Psychological - complications; stroke; work stress; Workload - psychology
• ISSN: 0195-668X; 1522-9645
• DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/13.suppl_D.89

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that, compared with the population as a whole, there is increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among lower socio-economic groups. To explore determinants of the increased risk within this group, a prospective 6·5 year investigation of a cohort of 416 middle-aged (40·8±9·6 years) male blue-collar workers was undertaken. In addition to established somatic and behavioural risk factors, psychosocial influences that measured chronic occupational stress in terms of an unbalance between high effort and low reward were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis shows that hypertension (odds ratio (o.r.) 3·85; 95% CI 1·59–9·34), left ventriadar hypertrophy (o.r. 3·62; 95· CI 1·06–12·37), hyperlipidaemia (o.r. 2·55; 95% CI 1·08–6·00), status inconsistency (measuring low reward at work) (o.r. 2·86; 95% CI 1·04–7·80) and ‘immersion’ (measuring high intrinsic effort at work) (o.r. 3·57; 95% CI 1·22–10·47) independently contribute to the prediction of fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular events (acute myocardial infarction, stroke). Expected probabilities of cardiovascular events are clearly elevated if the combined effects of left ventricular hypertrophy and psychosocial risks are analysed. In conclusion, increased incidence of cardiovascular disease among lower socio-economic groups is explained by a co-manifestation of established risk factors including left ventricular hypertrophy (by ECG) and psychosocial factors measuring chronic stress at work.