Physical Work May Raise Heart, Stroke Risk

Exercise is known to reduce the risk of heart disease. But a physically demanding job may increase risk, two new studies suggest. One study looked at 500 adults who had a first stroke, heart attack or other heart-related event. They were more likely to have physically demanding jobs than a comparison group of 500 healthy adults. This was true even after researchers adjusted the numbers for age, smoking and other factors that affect heart attack and stroke risk. A second study included 14,000 middle-aged men who did not have heart disease. But those with physically demanding jobs were more likely to develop it during 3 years of follow-up. And that risk increased almost 5-fold if they also exercised during their leisure time. For people with less active jobs, on the other hand, heart disease risk dropped 60% if they exercised during leisure time.