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The risk of developing hypertension is higher in workaholics
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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American scientists have shared an important conclusion: too long or intense working days in the office can provoke the development of hypertension – a common syndrome of high blood pressure. Moreover, this initial form of hypertension is often not noticed during preventive medical examinations. The study on this subject was conducted by cardiologists – members of the American Heart Association.
Almost every second resident of the United States over the age of eighteen is diagnosed with high blood pressure. By the way, hypertension is the cause of more than 80 thousand deaths annually. About 15 to 30% of older Americans suffer from a peculiar "masked" form of hypertension. The disease is characterized by the fact that during routine blood pressure measurements - for example, at a doctor's appointment - its indicators correspond to the norm, but in other conditions - in particular, at the workplace - blood pressure increases pathologically. In their new project, specialists set the task of determining what circumstances affect the increase in pressure in the "masked" form of hypertension.
The study involved 3,500 public service workers from three large institutions located in Quebec. Such institutions mainly provide insurance services to the population. The specialists analyzed the participants' daily routines, measured their blood pressure, and at the end of the experiment concluded that a workweek longer than 49 hours significantly increases the likelihood of developing problems with blood pressure. Thus, in 70% of cases, "masked" hypertension develops, which in 66% of cases turns into a persistent pathology with further prevalence of high blood pressure, both in professional and in domestic and clinical conditions. The number of working hours from 41 to 48 per week significantly reduced the risk of developing latent hypertension syndrome, and the emergence of stable forms of the disease was detected in only 20% of cases.
The study was adjusted for such factors as workload, age, gender, education level, occupation, bad habits, excess weight, and other significant factors. The project did not include representatives of professions involving heavy physical activity or workers with shift work schedules. The researchers noted that the results of the experiment apply primarily to office workers. However, recommendations were made for employers to reduce workload to 35 hours per week.
The material was published in the American Heart Association