Occupational characteristics and cardiovascular diseases: the risk of development and the challenges for prevention. Clinical-epidemiological analysis

The review analyses the occupational characteristics as potential pathogenic factors (PPF) for cardiovascular system in different professional settings. Data on incidence of arterial hypertension (AH) and coronary heart disease (CHD) among the employees in industrial and nonindustrial fields of work were specified in relation to occupational characteristics. In particular, the highest morbidity rate for AH and CHD was associated with the employment in nonproductive sectors where chronic psychoemotional strain was the leading PPF for the cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Interrelationships between the occupational characteristics, prevalence of behavioral risk factors (smoking, hypodynamia, and obesity), time of onset, and incidence of AH and CHD are compared. Challenges for the straightforward prevention of the behavioral risk factors (RF) are analyzed. The demand for the consolidated effort involving industrial hygienists for development and implementation of the rational CVD prevention guidelines for the specific professional settings is justified.