American Heart Association Says Long Work Hours Can Lead to Strokes

If you think you are doing you, your family or your company a noble favor by working long hours over and over you may not be. In the modern era of staff cuts and multi-tasking many people are now working more than ever.  Often the lengthy hours and heavy workload are required to keep a job or to keep a business operable.  Budget cuts and downsizing have occurred in many fields and businesses.

According to a report published in the American Heart Association's Journal Stroke people who work extra long hours have as much as a 45 percent greater risk of suffering a stroke.  In a press release from the American Heart Association it was reported that according to researchers' data from CONSTANCES, a French population-based study group that started in 2012 , participants working long hours had a 29 percent greater chance of stroke and those working long hours for 10 years or more had a 45 percent greater risk of stroke. The study identified long hours as working more than 10 hours per day for at least 50 days per year. Study participants were between 18-69 years of age.  Sex, smoking and work hours along with cardiovascular risk factors or previous stroke occurrences were noted from separate medical interviews.

In the CONSTANCES report 143,592 participants took part.  Data released showed that overall 1,224 participants suffered strokes.  Participants working long hours for more than 10 years had a 45 percent greater risk of stroke.