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Ever feel like you are working in a pressure cooker? Scientists find this week that job stress and strain can indeed make your heart work overtime. A medical survey of 8, 000 white-collar workers finds that workers who say they feel stressed and who do not have social support at work have higher blood pressure levels than those who don't have job related strain.
On average stressed workers had systolic levels, that's the top number, about 2 points higher than non-stressed workers. And overall, men were more likely to show a job-blood pressure link than women. Although 2 points may seem relatively small, this is the same rise in blood pressure that comes with age or lack of exercise. And even small elevations can make a difference.
Optimal systolic pressure should be under 120. Levels up to 139 are still within the normal range. But it's likely your doctor will consider treatment or lifestyle changes if it's consistently over 130.
High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke in the United States. The researchers say that reducing job strain could have significant effects.
With the Medical Minute, I'm Jichi Stone from ABC news.
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pressure cooker:informal a difficult situation in which people have to work very hard or experience a lot of strong emotions 困难的局面
elevation:an increase in the level of something 小幅增长
systolic pressure:the pressure of blood inside arteries when the heart contracts. In a blood pressure reading, this is the top number. 心脏收缩时的血压
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