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Research shows stress at work is bad for women's hearts

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Stress levels may not be the only thing elevated by high pressure jobs, as recently released research suggests that stressful jobs increase a woman's risk of performing poorly on cholesterol tests.

Researchers asked a group of female nurses to rate the level of personal influence and pressure their jobs demanded, then tracked their medical records for the next 15 years.

They found that women who said their job was a little too stressful were 25 percent more likely to be admitted to a hospital for heart disease, while women who report their work as much too stressful were 50 percent more likely to have heart problems.

The report said that younger women were more likely to be affected by stress levels at work, despite the fact that heart disease is generally a more prominent problem in older individuals.

Other studies have shown that work related stress levels increase the risk of heart disease in men, but this is the first study to confirm that the same holds true for women, as well.