Workaholics Have Higher Risk of Stroke, Says Study

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Marji_210815A new study published in The Lancet suggests that working 55 hours or more a week may increase one’s risk of having a stroke by 33%.

Researchers conducted a systematic review of 25 studies that included over 600,000 men and women from Europe, Australia, and the U.S. Participants were followed up with for an average of 8.5 years. Researchers discovered that people who worked 55 hours or more each week had a 13% higher risk for developing coronary heart disease. Even after researchers eliminated other risk factors, such as sex, age, and socioeconomic status, the figure remained the same.

Study researchers further discovered that the risk of a stroke was much higher for overworked individuals. Researchers analyzed data from 17 studies that involved a total of 500,000 men and women who were followed up with for an average of 7.2 years. Researchers found that individuals who worked 55 hours or more per week had a 33% higher risk of having a stroke.

Furthermore, researchers found that the risk of stroke rose in concurrence with the amount of hours worked. People who worked an average of 41–48 hours a week had a 10% higher risk of stroke, while those who worked between 49 and 54 hours a week had a 27% higher risk of having a stroke.

The increased risk remained the same even after accounting for other factors, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Sources for Today’s Article:
Kivimäki, M., et al., “Long working hours and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished data for 603838 individuals,” The Lancet August 20, 2015, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/.
Lam, P., “Longer working hours linked to greater stroke risk,” Medical News Today web site, August 20, 2015; http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/298403.php.