Vol. 1 - Pages 3.1-3.22 (Printed Version)

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are among the most common causes of illness and death in
the working population, particularly in industrialized countries. They are also increasing in developing countries (Wielgosz 1993). In the industrialized countries, 15 to 20% of all working people will suffer from a cardiovascular disorder sometime during their working lives and the frequency climbs sharply with age. Among those between 45 to 64 years of age, more than a third of the deaths among men and more than a quarter of deaths among women are caused by this group of diseases (see Table 3.1 [CAR01TE]). In recent years, CVDs have become the most frequent cause of death among post-menopausal women.

Because of their complex aetiology, only a very small proportion of the cases of cardiovascular disease are recognized as occupational. Many countries, however, recognize that occupational exposures contribute to CVDs (sometimes referred to as work-related diseases). Working conditions and job demands play an important role in the multifactorial process that leads to these diseases, but ascertaining the role of the individual causal components is very difficult. The components interact in close, shifting relationships and often the disease is triggered by a combination or accumulation of different causal factors, including those that are work related.

The reader is referred to the standard cardiology texts for details of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. This chapter will focus on those aspects of cardiovascular disease that are particularly relevant in the workplace and are likely to be influenced by factors in the job and work environment.