Demanding jobs increase female risk of heart attack: study

Boston – Women in high-stress jobs have a higher risk of heart attack, according to a study from Harvard University.

As part of the Women’s Health Study, researchers followed 22,000 women for 10 years and put them into four job groups:

• Low strain: low demand, high control
• Passive: low demand, low control
• Active: high demand, high control
• High strain: high demand, low control

Results showed women in the “high-strain” group had a 38 percent higher chance of having a heart attack than women in low-strain jobs. Women with “active” jobs also were 38 percent more likely to have a heart attack.

Researchers said the results show the need for addressing job strain to help prevent heart attack among women.

The study was published online July 18 in PLoS ONE.