Heart Attack, Stroke More Common in Shift Workers
Working the night shift or any non-traditional schedule
may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, a study shows.
Previous research has linked shift work to heart disease
and stroke risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels,
and diabetes. Now, researchers who reviewed 34 studies of more than 2 million
people found that shift workers are also more likely to have a heart attack or
stroke.
The new study "provides a firm anchor to state that
shift work is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The
relationship is probably causal, but it is difficult to say that on the basis
of observational studies alone," says study researcher Daniel G. Hackam,
MD, PhD. He is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Western
Ontario, Canada.
The study is published online in the journal BMJ.
Exactly how shift work increases the risk for heart
attack and stroke is not fully understood. It may disrupt the body's natural
sleep-wake cycle. Shift workers may also be more likely to smoke and eat an
unhealthy diet. And they may be less likely to get regular physical activity.
In the study, shift work was defined as:
- night shifts
- rotating shifts
- split shifts
- any non-daytime schedule
Night shift workers in the study had the highest risk for
heart attack and stroke, particularly in the first 10 to 15 years on the job.
Compared to people who worked during the day, shift
workers were:
- 23% more likely to have a heart attack
- 5% more likely to have a stroke
But the study also showed that shift workers were not
more likely to die compared to daytime workers.
The findings held up even when the researchers took into
account unhealthy behaviors and other factors that increase heart attack and
stroke risk.
Prevention is key, Hackam says. "If you are a shift
worker, know your cardiovascular risk factors cold. Go see your family doctor
and get an annual physical. And ask for measurement of your blood pressure,
waist circumference, cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting blood sugar."
Hackam also recommends these tips for health:
- Adopt a healthier lifestyle, including taking healthy food to work.
- Take regular "relaxation" breaks.
- Quit smoking.
- Exercise.
Glenn Jacobowitz, MD, agrees that shift workers are a
high-risk group. He is an associate professor of surgery and vice chief of
vascular surgery at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York
City.
"Anyone who is a shift worker probably warrants
medical monitoring every six to 12 months," he says. These visits should
include checking for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes risks.
"The findings add to a growing body of literature
that bad sleep is bad for you. And one of the forms of bad sleep is [related
to] shift work," says Steven H. Feinsilver, MD. He is the director of the
Center for Sleep Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.
Shift workers get less sleep than people who work a
daytime schedule.
Most people can't up and quit their jobs, especially in
this economy, but shift workers aren't powerless, Feinsilver says. "If you
are going to work nights, get the darkest, best sunglasses you can find for
going home in the morning so you avoid exposure to natural light."
Make sure your bedroom is cave-like -- dark, quiet, and
cool. "When it's time to wake, turn on every light you can find," he
says. These techniques can help trick your brain into thinking that it is night
or morning so that you can get adequate sleep.
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